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Journalism of Courage
LUCKNOW, OCT 17: The Kalyan Singh government has changed its mind on the notice served on RSS chief Rajendra Singh or Rajju Bhaiya against an “illegal construction” and violation of lease norms at the house leased out to him in Allahabad.
Allahabad District Magistrate Alok Tandon, who had issued the notice imposing a fine of Rs 7.62 lakh on Rajju Bhaiya on October 6, sent another letter to him on October 12 stating that action on the notice was being suspended.
“In this connection, the affidavit of Virendra Singh Chaudhary (who lives in the house leased out to Rajju Bhaiya) has been received on October 10 which is being examined and, hence, till then further action on it is being suspended,” the letter sent by the DM to Rajju Bhaiya stated. The Indian Express had reported issuing of the notice on October 14.
Since the issue is sensitive, officials at Allahabad are tight-lipped. While the DM could not be contacted despite many attempts, Mukhya Nagar Adhikari (MNA) Shanker Lal Jaiswal said hewas unaware of any further developments. “The DM must be knowing the issue. But the notice must not have been withdrawn since I would know,” he told The Indian Express.
Virendra Singh Chaudhary, who lives in the sprawling house, told the Indian Express over the phone: “Leases are not renewed in Allahabad except for a handful of people. We had applied for renewal of the lease for this house in 1988 but it has not been done so far. There are politically motivated people also at the Nagar Nigam which is evident from the non-renewal of the lease.”
He added that the name of the RSS chief should not have been dragged into the controversy. “He has donated all his property and yet his name has been dragged into this case which should be condemned,” he said.
The house at Tashkent Road was allotted to the RSS chief when he was a teacher at Allahabad University. He lived in that house for several years.The Kalyan government, however, objected to the “misuse” of the property by openingtwo schools on its premises, and in a letter dated April 7, 1998, directed the DM to deal with the issue. An inquiry by the DM revealed that the two schools — on 487 squar metre and 684 squar metre out of a total of 4526 square metre area — were illegal constructions and the government’s permission had not been sought for their construction.
