Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Samrat Choudhary on Thursday delivered a sharp response to the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) after the party threatened not to vacate former chief minister Rabri Devi’s official residence. Speaking at a News18 programme, Choudhary asserted that government bungalows are public property and not anyone’s inheritance. “Sarkari Awas ki malik janata hoti hai, yeh kisi ki bapauti nahi hai,” he said.
Choudhary clarified that he holds no personal grudge against the family of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav. He emphasised that the Supreme Court has already ruled that former chief ministers are not entitled to government bungalows. Rabri Devi, he said, has already been allotted an official residence categorised for the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council.
Recounting his own experience, Choudhary added that it is normal for government quarters to change in Bihar. “In the last 28 years, I myself have had to shift six houses,” he said. He also reminded that it was Tejashwi Yadav who had approached the court earlier, following which both the Supreme Court and Patna High Court held that former CMs cannot retain government residences.
Reacting to RJD state president Mangnilal Mandal’s statement, “jo karna hai karein, dera nahi khali karenge”, Choudhary called it anarchic and irresponsible. He accused the RJD of promoting disorder and muscle power, questioning how the party can openly refuse to vacate a government residence. “Bihar is governed by law. They were given a house by the government, and now a new and even bigger residence has been allotted,” he said.
The dispute began after the Building Construction Department marked the 39 Harding Road bungalow for the Legislative Council’s Leader of Opposition, requiring the Rabri residence at 10 Circular Road, occupied for nearly two decades, to be vacated. RJD has alleged that the move was taken under pressure from the BJP and has hinted at challenging the decision in court.
