The Estate Department has issued a notice to the Congress Party on Wednesday. In this notice, the party has been instructed to vacate its office located at 24 Akbar Road by March 28. According to Congress sources, the department has issued a formal order in this regard. This building has been the headquarters of the Congress Party for the last 48 years.
What did Imran Masood say?
Congress has strongly opposed this step of the government. The party says that the government is trying to suppress their voice. Congress MP Imran Masood has raised questions on this. He asked whether BJP offices were also vacated in the same manner? He said that Congress will neither be silent nor bow down. Masood also said that the government has put the country in a serious situation.
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari has also given a sharp reaction to this notice. Taking aim at the BJP government, he said that this government is not democratic. He termed this move as unfortunate. Tiwari said that first let the notice reach them, after which the party will consider it politically and decide further action. At present the party’s work is being run from this office, but after this order of the government, Congress may have to leave its old headquarters.
However, Congress started its new headquarters named ‘Indira Bhawan’ on Kotla Marg last year. Despite this, party activities are still continuing from the Akbar Road office. The government has also given notice to vacate the office of Indian Youth Congress located at 5 Raisina Road. Party sources indicated that the Congress party is considering legal options to get relief in this matter.
What is the history of the building?
Congress leaders have a deep emotional attachment with 24 Akbar Road. The history of this bungalow is quite old and interesting. Sir Reginald Maxwell lived here during the British era. In the 1960s it was the residence of the Myanmar ambassador. Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi also stayed here with her mother.
After the defeat in the 1977 elections and the split in the party, Indira Gandhi made it her new centre. Then MP Venkataswami had given his bungalow to the party. After this Rajiv Gandhi, P.V. This bungalow remained the main base of Congress activities even during the tenure of Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh.