Patna: Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Tuesday declared that the bungalow where former chief minister Rabri Devi resides "will certainly be vacated" and that "no one on earth can stop that." He emphasized that official accommodation cannot be treated as a family entitlement.
Government Residences Governed by Rules, Not Privilege
Speaking at a Sahyog camp near Motipur in Muzaffarpur, a state initiative aimed at expediting resolution of public grievances involving multiple departments, Choudhary stated that official residences are governed by rules and constitutional positions, not personal privilege. At another Sahyog camp in Sheikhpura, the CM, without naming any party or leader, said, "It is not a monarchy... The mother wants one house, and the son desires another."
On the bungalow dispute, Choudhary said, "It (the bungalow) will certainly be vacated. Remember this well. No one can prevent it. The house will have to be vacated. This is not a monarchy; it is a democracy. And the people understand everything." He sharpened the criticism further, saying, "Some think a bungalow is a sort of inheritance (bapauti). One house is needed for the mother and another for the son. This is not a monarchy."
Details of the Controversy
The controversy centers on 10, Circular Road, where Rabri Devi has been residing. She has declined to shift to 39, Hardinge Road, which was allotted to her as leader of the opposition in the Bihar legislative council. Her son, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, leader of the opposition in the Bihar assembly, occupies a bungalow at 1, Polo Road. Choudhary cited these details to argue that official residences cannot be treated as permanent family assets.
Projecting his own approach to public office, Choudhary said, "I have never lived in a government bungalow for the last several years. I have been living in my private house." He added that he agreed to begin working from 1, Anne Marg — the chief minister's official residence, renamed Lok Sevak Bhavan by his government — only after the insistence of his predecessor Nitish Kumar.
"Nitish Kumar ji set an example by taking no time in vacating his official residence. And I must say that the day my bosses tell me to step down, I will pack my bags and leave, without batting an eyelid," Choudhary said.
Choudhary's Personal Stance on Official Residences
In Muzaffarpur, he reiterated his claim of not being attached to official residences. "I have been allotted 11 government houses so far. This is only the third government house I have lived in. In seven or eight of those houses, I merely operated my office," he said, adding, "We are not attached to such material things."
Opposition Response
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has termed the eviction order "vendetta politics." RJD national general secretary Abdul Bari Siddiqui accused the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government of "targeting the opposition," saying, "The beauty of democracy lies in exposing the shortcomings of the government."
