25 Feb, New Delhi:
The second day of the Delhi Vidhan Sabha session witnessed intense chaos as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs disrupted the proceedings during Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena’s address. The uproar led Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta to direct marshals to remove three MLAs from the House. The disruption continued, forcing the Speaker to order the eviction of several other members, including former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Atishi.
The BJP had previously alleged that exorbitant amounts were spent on luxury items, including ₹80 crore on curtains, ₹64 lakhs on televisions, ₹10 lakhs on a sofa, and ₹12 lakhs on gold-plated toilet seats, some of which were reported missing. The case surfaced in May 2023 when Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena ordered a CBI probe, which was initiated in September 2023, alleging ₹45 crore was spent during the COVID-19 crisis.
Sheesh Mahal Allegations and CAG Findings
According to the CAG report, the initial budget for the renovation was sanctioned at Rs 7.61 crore in 2020. However, by April 2022, the expenditure skyrocketed to Rs 33.66 crore—an increase of 342%. BJP state president Virendra Sachdeva claims that the report raises 139 questions about financial mismanagement in the project. He further alleges that the total expenditure could reach Rs 80 crore if subsequent costs are included.
In December 2024, the BJP released a video claiming that extravagant purchases had been made for Sheeshmahal, including curtains worth Rs 80 crore, 16 televisions worth Rs 64 lakh, a sofa worth Rs 10 lakh, a refrigerator worth Rs 9 lakh, and sanitary fittings valued at Rs 15 crore. The party also alleged that many of these items are now missing.
Political Reactions and Investigations
The session comes at a critical juncture, as 14 Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports related to the AAP government’s tenure are set to be presented in the Assembly. One of the most controversial reports highlights alleged financial irregularities in the renovation of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s official residence at 6-Flag Staff Road. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has termed this property ‘Sheeshmahal’ and accused the AAP government of corruption in its renovation.
Delhi minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa accused the Kejriwal government of hiding the CAG reports for three years, stating that their release would expose corruption and mismanagement. BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari demanded that taxpayer money allegedly misused for personal luxuries be returned.
AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar downplayed the controversy, calling the CAG report presentation a routine process. She also demanded an investigation into the high-cost construction of the Dwarka Expressway. The session is expected to be stormy as opposition leaders prepare to corner the AAP government over alleged financial misconduct.
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister Atishi, evicted from the Assembly session, has yet to formally respond to the allegations. The AAP leadership maintains that the charges are politically motivated and designed to divert public attention from the BJP’s governance failures.
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