AAP, Delhi Police Clash Over Denied Entry To CM’s House Amid ‘Sheesh Mahal’ Row – News18

Last Updated:January 08, 2025, 12:46 IST

The AAP leaders staged a dharna outside the CM residence in Delhi after being denied entry by the police. Sanjay Singh also had a heated exchange with the police personnel.

Politics heats up over ‘Sheesh Mahal’ in Delhi (Photo: X/BJP)

As Delhi elections are hardly a month away, a massive drama unfolded on Wednesday over ‘Sheesh Mahal’, a term coined by the BJP for the Chief Minister’s residence, as AAP leaders clashed with the police after being denied entry to the premises.

The AAP and BJP also sparred over the issue which is taking centre stage in the run-up to the Assembly polls in the city slated on February 5.

As the AAP leaders arrived at the CM residence where the Delhi Police put up barricading, besides heavy security, the police denied them entry which led to a verbal spat.

AAP Dares BJP To Visit CM Residence With Media

This comes after AAP MP Sanjay Singh on Tuesday challenged the BJP to visit the CM’s residence along with the media personnel, after the BJP levelled several allegations on the AAP over alleged misuse of public money in the construction of a luxurious residence for Kejriwal, the then-Delhi CM.

The BJP has accused Arvind Kejriwal of spending an extravagant sum exceeding Rs 40 crore on renovating the Chief Minister’s official residence — an allegation the AAP has vehemently refuted. The AAP leaders dared the BJP to inspect the residence and substantiate their claims of excessive expenditure.

AAP announced that its leaders, accompanied by the media, would visit the Civil Lines bungalow to address the allegations and then proceed to the Prime Minister’s residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, to highlight the renovations carried out there.

AAP Leaders Denied Entry To Delhi CM’s Residence

As Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj and MP Sanjay Singh arrived at the residence, they entered into a heated exchange with police personnel deployed outside the house after being denied permission to enter the premises.

“I’m an MP, he is a minister, and you’re stopping us? Under which law are you stopping us?” Singh is heard asking the police personnel.

PWD Urges Police Not To Allow Entry To CM House: Sources

According to Delhi Police sources, PWD has urged the police via a letter not to allow anyone, including the AAP leaders, to enter the property.

A PWD official also reached the spot and requested Sanjay Singh and Saurabh Bharadwaj not to enter the premises.

Both the AAP leaders sat on a dharna for some time and then moved towards Lok Kalyan Marg.

‘Let Public See Both CM And PM Houses’: Saurabh Bharadwaj

Speaking to the media, Bharadwaj said that the BJP which sent videos and photos of the new CM’s residence on a daily basis is now “running away”.

“A three-layer barricading has been put up. They have also put up water cannons and deployed Additional DCP here. This has been turned into a border so that the media can’t go in. Show us where the swimming pool and bar are,” he said.

“BJP says that the CM’s residence was built for Rs 33 Crores. It is also being said that PM house is being built for Rs 2700 Crores. We will see both the CM residence and the PM house. Let the public see both,” the Minister added.

BJP Reiterates Its ‘Sheesh Mahal’ Charge

The Delhi BJP shared a video of the CM residence and questioned where the money for the luxurious renovation came from. The party claimed that there is a “mini-bar” inside the building, a charge that the AAP has strongly rejected.

Delhi will go to Assembly polls on February 5 and the counting of votes will be done on February 8.