Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: The Congress party on Wednesday received an eviction notice for its long-held national headquarters at 24, Akbar Road, with instructions to vacate the premises by March 28. Reacting to the notice, Congress alleged that the ruling BJP government is attempting to divert public attention from the ongoing war in Iran.Party leader Imran Masood said, “The govt thinks it can silence the Congress by creating pressure on us. They should not try to scare us. Have they got the BJP office at 11, Ashok Road or at Pant Marg? Because they have not been able to do anything regarding the Iran war, they are trying to deflect attention from this issue.”Pramod Tiwari also criticized the move, calling it undemocratic. He said, “The BJP government is not a democratic govt. It is unfortunate. Let the notice reach us. We will act on it after holding discussions.”Reacting to the notice, Karti P Chidambaram said, “If they want to enforce this principle on the Congress Party, then it should be applied to all other political parties. It cannot be one-sided.”The Congress has occupied the Akbar Road bungalow since 1978, making it a symbolic address in the heart of Lutyens’ Delhi.Party functionaries said the eviction notice was delivered a few days ago. A second notice has been issued for the Indian Youth Congress headquarters at 5, Raisina Road. With both deadlines set for March 28, Congress has indicated plans to approach the court to prevent forcible eviction. Congress MP and senior lawyer Abhishek Singhvi described the eviction notice as “illegal and politically motivated”. While the party has shifted to its new headquarters, Indira Bhavan near ITO, it retained its office at Akbar Road.
