New Delhi : The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress on Sunday traded barbs over the size of official residences occupied by political leaders after Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput questioned the expansion of facilities linked to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence complex.
The latest exchange began after BJP IT department head Amit Malviya responded on X to remarks made by Rajput regarding the proposed vacation of the Gymkhana Club premises in Delhi on security grounds.
In his post, Malviya referred to Congress parliamentary chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s official residence at 10 Janpath and wrote: “Sonia Gandhi, who occupies 10 Janpath spread across 15,181 square metres, larger than 7 Lok Kalyan Marg at 14,101 square metres, has apparently sent a note to Surendar Rajput. It reads: sit down. The entitlement and hypocrisy in the Congress ecosystem never cease to amaze.”
Malviya’s remarks came after Rajput questioned the need for additional space linked to the Prime Minister’s residence complex.
“How much space does the Prime Minister need to live in? The BJP-led government will have to explain this. The Prime Minister’s residence already occupies such a large complex. Now, you also want to vacate the Gymkhana Club, citing security reasons,” Rajput said.
He also accused the BJP of attempting to remove historical institutions and symbols. “BJP wants to erase all of our historical heritage. BJP leaders want to wipe out old symbols and our civilisations and replace them with their own fabricated narratives of civilisation,” Rajput said.
The exchange comes amid political debate over the future of the Delhi Gymkhana Club premises and reports surrounding security-related expansion or reorganisation near the Prime Minister’s official residence area.
The Prime Minister’s official residence is located at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg in New Delhi. The area has undergone multiple security and infrastructure upgrades over the years, particularly after the redevelopment initiatives linked to the Central Vista project announced by the Union government.
The Central Vista redevelopment programme includes construction and redevelopment of several government buildings and administrative complexes in the national capital, including a new Parliament building, Common Central Secretariat and associated infrastructure.
