‘Toilets Worth Rs 1.25 Cr’: Sirsa Says ‘Sheesh Mahal’ Fit For Luxury Hotel, Dismisses AAP’s ‘Maya Mahal’ Jibe
Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa reignited his attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over the residence of former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, branding it as a lavish “Sheesh Mahal” that could only serve as a five-star hotel. His remarks came during an interview with ANI on Monday, where he also hit out at opposition parties criticising the expenses for the official residence of current Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
‘Toilets Worth Crores, Curtains Of Lakhs’: Sirsa
“The Sheesh Mahal can only be turned into a 5-star hotel. We are exploring if we can open it up for public viewing with ticketed entry. The Sheesh Mahal has been built in luxury. In the 12 toilets that have been built, toilet seats worth approximately Rs 1.25 crore have been used. Curtains, which can be remotely operated, are of Rs 8 lakh each…it can only be a five-star hotel,” Sirsa told news agency ANI.
According to him, the previous residence occupied by Kejriwal was extravagantly furnished, highlighting toilet fixtures and curtains worth lakhs of rupees as symbols of unnecessary opulence.
Manjinder Sirsa On ‘Maya Mahal’ Row Over Rekha Gupta’s Residence Renovation
On the criticism by opposition parties over the estimated renovation cost of Delhi CM Rekha Gupta’s new residence, Sirsa dismissed the ‘Maya Mahal’ tag, asserting that the expenses are modest.
“Delhi CM Rekha Gupta’s new official residence is formerly quarters for the staff of the Lieutenant Governor. Cost (of renovation) is around Rs 50 lakh. They (AAP) are shouting that ‘Maya Mahal’ is being created. These people only recall Mughal-era names —Maya Mahal, they talk of Aurangzeb. They’ll only speak about the Rohingyas and Bangladeshi Muslims,” he said.
“Kejriwal ji ke dimaag mein soch bhi Tughlaqi hai, zehan bhi Tughlaqi hai (Kejriwal’s thinking and mind are despotic like Tughlaq),” he added, taking a swipe at the former CM.
Earlier this month, the Public Works Department (PWD) had floated a tender worth Rs 60 lakh to refurbish Gupta’s official residence, mainly covering electrical and interior work. The detailed plan included installation of five televisions for Rs 9.3 lakh, fourteen air conditioners worth Rs 7.7 lakh, fourteen CCTV cameras for Rs 5.74 lakh, and a UPS system costing Rs 2 lakh to ensure uninterrupted power supply, as per ANI.
The remarks come as Delhi CM Rekha Gupta recently inaugurated her new camp office, ‘Jan Seva Sadan’, in the national capital. According to ANI, the renovated official bungalow and camp office are set to become the operational base for the chief minister.
Manjinder Sirsa On FIR Against Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain
Sirsa further intensified his criticism of AAP leadership, accusing former deputy CM Manish Sisodia and former minister Satyendar Jain of corruption.
He said, “We never made fake allegations, because of this, the case was registered in ACB (Anti-Corruption Bureau)…An FIR has been lodged against Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain. Yesterday also, Satyendar Jain was with the ED in a case related to the Delhi Jal Board…I would like to confirm that we will conclude the trials of all pending cases within the next 5 years…Before the next elections, Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain and corrupt people will face the consequences of their misdeeds.”
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