New Delhi: Defending the Narendra Modi government's decision to allot a bungalow to BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, the Urban Development Ministry on Sunday said houses had been provided to non-MPs for security reasons even in the past. "Government bungalows have been allotted to even non-MPs in the past on grounds of security," a senior UD Ministry official said.
According to the UD Ministry list, those provided government houses on security grounds include Priyanka Gandhi who was allotted 35, Lodi Estate in February 1997. Former Punjab police chief KPS Gill was allotted 11, Talkatora Road in April 1996, while ex-Youth Congress chief MS Bitta was allotted 14, Talkatora Road in June 1996.
Congress leader Jagdish Tytler was given house at 3, GRG Road, in December 2006 which he vacated in 2015.
According to the list, Ashwini Kumar, Editor, Punjab Keshri was allotted a government accomodation in June 1998. Buta Singh was allotted 11-A, Teen Murti Marg in February 2006 on security ground.
Ashwini Kumar vacated government accomodation in 2012 and Tytler in 2015, while all others are still occupying the bungalows allotted to them.
Congress had alleged that Swamy was given Z category security and allotted a government bungalow on grounds of security despite not being an MP or hailing from a troubled border state as "reward" for suing top Congress leadership including party chief Sonia Gandhi and her deputy Rahul in the National Herald case.
"He is not facing any threat from any terrorist organisation. The bungalow was given as an award for dragging the Congress leadership to court," Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad had said.
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