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In Ghulam Nabi Azad-Omar Abdullah bungalow swap, a relic is lost

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Congress and National Conference (NC) may have contested against each other in Jammu and Kashmir, but their leaders – Ghulam Nabi Azad and Omar Abdullah – are united in destroying a historic relic in Delhi for want of their love for a bungalow in Lutyen's zone.

Though chief ministers are not entitled to retain an official bungalow in Delhi, Omar and his wife Payal have been occupying the 7-Akbar Road house that was allotted to Azad. RTI replies to an application filed by dna reveal that they are living as guests of Azad, former union minister and now leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha.

So where is Azad living now? The former minister now lives at 5-South Avenue lane, the property leased out to J&K government in 2006, immediately after he became chief minister in exchange of 4- Kotla Lane house, a historic relic, where Sheikh Abdullah had lived as prisoner from 1965 to 1968. Sheikh Abdullah continued to live in that house till 1975, when he became the chief minister of J&K and shifted to Kashmir.Late prime minister I K Gujral in 1996 had suggested to rename Kotla lane as Sher-e-Kashmir road and convert the house into a museum for Kashmir's history, art and culture.

But Azad, who was then to vacate South Avenue bungalow on becoming CM of J&K, lobbied that instead of Kotla Lane bungalow, the South Avenue bungalow be transferred to J&K government. Since then Azad has been occupying the house. The Kotla Road bungalow was later demolished to create a parking lot for the offices in the area.

The RTI reply received from the office of J&K resident commissioner on 5 South Avenue Road in Delhi reads, "The property in question is occupied by Sh Ghulam Nabi Azad, the then chief minister, Jammu and Kashmir state who continues to retain the property in question till date in his capacity as hon'ble member and leader of Opposition (Rajya Sabha)."From Directorate of Estates, Azad had received 7 Akbar Road bungalow as a minister in UPA government. Abdullah in the month of May this year had tweeted, "7 Akbar rd is allotted to Ghulam Nabi Azad. In his capacity as union minister & the JK CM has a bungalow on South Avenue Lane. We have swapped occupancy for our convenience. His has been since 2009 & so neither of us is over staying or violating any guidelines regarding our accommodation."Another reply to the RTI query filed by dna has nailed Omar's claim. In records of estate office, 7-Akbar road is the residence of Azad. RTI reply received on July 22 reads, "The bungalow no. 7- Akbar Road has not been swapped in lieu of 5- South Avenue lane house." The love for staying in the plush bungalow in Lutyen's Bungalow Zone made both Omar and Azad pave way for this historical relic to die. In return, both leaders managed to secure a bungalow for themselves in Delhi.National Conference leaders who dna tried to contact stayed away from commenting on the issue. However, Azad's office clarified that Sheikh Abdullah himself wanted to vacate the house if the state was given a suitable exchange.Azad's office also said that following the union government's decision to take over 4-Kotla Lane building, then chief minister G N Azad had given his consents after ensuring that state government would be given more residential kothis in exchange. "The state got residential space several times more in real estate value," clarifies his office.

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