It is All About a Lutyens Bungalow, Stupid!!

NEW DELHI: Not just politicians, but also bureaucrats, will give their right arm for a Lutyens bungalow in New Delhi. These sprawling bungalows surrounded by acres of green lawns, trees, peacocks and birds with a continuous supply of electricity and water serve as a heady brew for the occupants who find it difficult to leave, and are dragged out literally screaming and fighting as in the case of Minister and at least six term MP Ajit Singh of the Rashtriya Lok Dal.

Notices are ignored, market rents paid, as these men and women of power and influence continue to live in the bungalows for the duration of their entire life, even after they have retired and are no longer in politics. Many of them born use family connections to convert the residences of their fathers, or mothers, or husbands into ‘memorials’ that basically then ensure that the sprawling government accommodation is virtually their for posterity. These memorials run without visitors, and perhaps the list starts with Teen Murti that was occupied by late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru but became a memorial following his daughter Indira Gandhi’s reluctance to stay there.

Her official residence on Safdarjung road---two adjacent bungalows--- where she was killed is now a memorial in her name, although this attracts tourists and is certainly not being used by her family to live in. Late minister Jagjivan Ram’s residence is a memorial, as is that of late Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri.

So it was not a surprise when Ajit Singh faced with an eviction order with electricity and water supply snapped, decided to gather farmers to protest for him. Orchestrated protests had these poor men who have so much to agitate for in their own lives, being made to face water cannons and a lathi charge so that the RLD leader could continue staying in his palatial house. Make it a memorial for kisan leader Charan Singh (Ajit Singhs father) and for the farmers, was the predictable demand, with RLD leaders insisting that this was not to save the house for Singh but to honour the kisans.

Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda came out in support of Ajit Singh, and describing the eviction order as a "discourteous act", wrote to the NDA government demanding the bungalow be declared as a memorial.

"I have come to know that the Centre has issued ex-parte eviction order in respect of bungalow alloted to RLD leader and former Union Minister Ajit Singh and disconnected its electricity supply and causing him unwarranted hardship," he said.

"I feel this is an unceremonious and discourteous act, more so because the sacred memories of Chaudhary Charan Singh, the former Prime Minister are associated with this house, in which he moved in 1978," Hooda wrote in his letter today to Union Urban Development Minister, Venkaiah Naidu.

Hooda also wrote that since the days of Charan Singh, the house has been the centre of activities of Kisan Trust, which he founded for their welfare.

The Haryana Chief Minister mentioned that thousands of people associated with farmers movement in India invariably visit the house for inspiration and guidance.

"The eviction order has severed the sentimental chord connecting Charan Singh memories and the peasants or workers of India," he said.

"It has hurt the feelings of millions of farmers of India who consider Charan Singh as their messiah," he wrote.

Hooda felt that to perpetuate the memory of Charan Singh, this bungalow be converted as Charan Singh Samriti Bhawan like others.

At this rate most of the bungalows in Lutyens Delhi will become memorials to some individual or cause insofar as the politicians are concerned. Bureaucrats of course cannot claim this privilege and hence spent their last years in office lobbying for re-appointments that will keep them in the most privileged district of New Delhi.