Upendra Kushwaha Evicted from Govt. Bungalow

Patna: Aug. 17, 2008

After repeated requests to vacate his government-provided bungalow in Patna, the district administration, amidst heavy security, evicted the Nationalist Congress Party state president Upendra Kushwaha from his 30 Bailey Road residence sending a shockwave among the Kushwaha community.

As reported, the Building Construction Department, in the past, had issued three notices to the NCP leader asking him to vacate the house that was, in fact, allocated to Janata Dal (U) leader Dinesh Kushwaha but was later withdrawn by the Building Construction Minister.

Upendra Kushwaha, officials said, had been occupying the building illegally and had ignored the government notices to vacate the bungalow in a civil manner.

On Sunday morning, station in-charges from Kotwali, Shastri Nagar, and Sachivalay police stations, accompanied by BMP jawans and Building Construction Department officials, surrounded the Kushwaha bungalow and asked the residents, including Kushwaha's wife and mother, to leave the house. Using force, the city workers removed all the belongings from the house and dumped them outside in the yard.

An angry Kushwaha accused the government of acting out of spite. "I was never issued any notice by the government. I even offered to pay the rent at the current market value but my request was ignored," the NCP leader said.

The family members have currently taken shelter at a local Marwari lodge, he said adding his eviction was an insult of the entire Kushwaha community and it would give a fitting reply to the Nitish government.

Party spokesperson Mrityunjay Kumar said the NCP will hold a two-day state-wide protest to 'expose' the NDA government in Bihar and for acting out of political vendetta.

''A number of former MLAs continue to occupy official bungalows despite losing in the last Assembly polls. Kushwaha is being singled out because he had been outspoken against the Nitish government," Kumar said.