NEW DELHI: Delhi PWD minister and deputy chief minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma on Wednesday sparked a political storm by likening former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to “Rahman Dakait”, accusing him of looting public money on his official residence.Referring to a character from the film ‘Dhurandhar’, Verma made the remark during a heated discussion in the Delhi assembly on the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report into the renovation of the 6, Flagstaff Road bungalow. “Kejriwal was like Rahman Dakait who robbed public wealth,” he said, adding that voters had already rejected such leadership in the 2025 assembly elections. The controversy centres around the bungalow which the BJP has repeatedly dubbed as “Sheesh Mahal”. The CAG report, tabled earlier this week, flagged a sharp escalation in renovation costs — from an initial estimate of around Rs 8 crore to Rs 33.66 crore — raising questions over financial propriety. Chief minister Rekha Gupta alleged that while Delhi residents were struggling, including during the Covid-19 pandemic, the then CM was focused on building a “mahal” for himself. “There is only one mahal in Delhi — the sheesh mahal — while the rest live in dharmshalas,” she said in the House. Gupta also alleged procedural lapses, claiming that multiple consultants were hired for the same work and paid crores without proper tendering. She recommended that the CAG findings be referred to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Assembly for a detailed probe. During the debate, Verma read out a long list of items allegedly installed at the residence, including luxury furniture, imported fittings, chandeliers, designer interiors, gym equipment, multiple televisions, mini bars and barbecue units. He termed the findings “serious lapses” in construction and public expenditure.
AAP hits back strongly
The Aam Aadmi Party, which boycotted the budget session, hit back strongly. Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj accused the BJP of selective targeting and said details of the chief minister’s residence were already in the public domain. “When Kejriwal’s official residence was being renovated, the prime minister’s residence was also being built. Every detail of the CM residence is public, but details of the PM’s residence are kept secret,” Bharadwaj said, adding that the party was ready for a fair and comprehensive debate. He also countered the allegations by pointing to the BJP government’s purchase of a “VVIP boat” worth over Rs 6 crore, questioning the basis of its criticism of the Rs 30-crore renovation. The issue of the bungalow renovation had emerged as a key political flashpoint during the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections, with the BJP using the “sheesh mahal” tag to target the AAP leadership. With the CAG report now referred for further scrutiny, the row is set to intensify in the coming days.
