By PTI
NEW DELHI: The government on Wednesday started the process of evicting the family of late Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan from the 12 Janpath bungalow that was allotted to him in 1990, with several trucks carrying furniture and other household goods seen driving out of the accommodation.
The Directorate of Estates, which comes under the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, sent a team of officials to execute an eviction order issued to the late minister’s son and Lok Sabha MP Chirag Paswan in July last year.
The 12 Janpath bungalow is earmarked for Union ministers and the occupants of the government accommodation have been asked to vacate it, an official said.
The eviction process will also continue on Thursday, the official said, adding that overstaying charges will be levied in accordance with the rules as the Paswan family was eligible to use the bungalow till December 7, 2020.
Chirag Paswan, who was not present at the bungalow when the eviction process began, could not be reached for comments.
At least five trucks loaded with furniture and other household goods drove out of the bungalow, which was the official address of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP).
The LJP split into two following differences between Chirag Paswan and his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras after the death of Ram Vilas Paswan.
The bungalow was used for holding the party’s organisational meetings and other related events.
Ram Vilas Paswan, one of the country’s most prominent Dalit leaders, died at the age of 74 in October 2020.
He had been a minister in central governments headed by parties of contrasting ideological persuasions, ranging from the Janata Dal to the Congress and the BJP, since 1989.
According to the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, Ram Vilas Paswan was allotted bungalow number 12, Janpath on March 14, 1990, as the then labour and welfare minister.
“He (Ram Vilas Paswan) was occupying this bungalow in his various capacities. He had passed away on October 8, 2020. The family of late Paswan was eligible to retain the bungalow till November 7, 2020, on rent-free furnished basis and another one term (till December 7, 2020) on payment of normal license fee and water and electricity charges,” another official said.
He said that due to non-vacation, eviction proceedings were initiated against the family members on January 6 last year.
“Estate officer had passed the eviction order on July 14, 2021,” the official said.
Eviction notices have been sent to all former ministers, including BJP Lok Sabha MPs Ram Shankar Katheria and P C Sarangi, to vacate the official bungalows allotted to them, sources said.
In July 2020, the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry had asked Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to vacate her bungalow in Lutyens’ Delhi.
