Akhilesh Yadav has been accused of leaving his government bungalow damaged and with items missing
Akhilesh Yadav, accused of leaving his government bungalow damaged and missing some objects, today walked into a hurriedly-called press conference carrying two taps. "If the government can prove I took out taps from the bathroom, I am willing to replace them," said the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister.
Akhilesh Yadav vacated the 4, Vikramaditya Marg bungalow in Lucknow last week, complying with a Supreme Court order banning former chief ministers from holding on to official bungalows. He and five other ex-chief ministers - including his father Mulayam Singh - had been asked to give up their government homes.
Photos and video clips indicate damage to the bungalow, specifically the gym area, a cycle track and the kitchen. Reports suggested air-conditioners had been removed and bathroom fittings like tiles and water taps were missing. Asked about the damaged areas, he said, "I had my gym and a steel structure there. In my new house I will use it."
He accused the BJP of trying to humiliate him by using "photography angles", because it was rattled by the loss of three important seats in by-polls.
"The BJP it is rattled after repeated defeats in by-polls," said the Samajwadi Party chief, indignant, alleging a conspiracy by the ruling party.
"The same officers will find out something when you (BJP) leave your house. They might come out with a 'chilam' (a smoking pipe)," he said.
He also targeted Governor Ram Naik, who has asked the state's Yogi Adityanath government to take action against the alleged damage and has called it a "serious matter" involving the taxpayers' money.
Akhilesh Yadav remarked the governor "is not working according to the constitution. The soul of the RSS has come into him".
The governor, he said, "is a very good person but sometimes the soul of the RSS infiltrates him, what can be done."
The RSS of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is the ideological mentor of the BJP.
The Samajwadi Party leader reasserted that if "even a single item in the inventory is missing", he was ready to return it.
"The home was maintained immaculately. You know everything... now you say you found the house damaged, inventory missing... who was the officer responsible to take stock of the house and its inventory when it was handed over? What was he doing then? Why wasn't anything pointed out then?" said the incensed former Chief Minister.
Holding up the taps, he declared that he spent his own money to renovate the house and never had a swimming pool.
The BJP has alleged that Akhilesh Yadav deliberately damaged the property "out of frustration" at having to leave the house, and acted like a "kid who spoils a game when he sees he is losing it".