Hooda objects to eviction notice to Ajit Singh

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has objected to the manner in which the central government has issued an eviction notice to former civil aviation minister Ajit Singh to vacate a ministerial bungalow in New Delhi's Lutyen zone.

In a communication to union parliamentary affairs and urban development minister Venkaiah Naidu Wednesday, Hooda said: "I feel that this is an unceremonious and discourteous act. More so because the sacred memories of Chaudhary Charan Singh, former prime minister, are associated with this house in which he moved in in 1978. Since then, the house has been with his family as it was allotted to Ajit Singh as a union minister."

Ajit Singh, who was the civil aviation minister in the previous UPA government, was served the eviction notice and electricity supply to the sprawling bungalow (12, Tughlak Road) was disconnected by the authorities last week.

Ajit Singh recently lost in the Lok Sabha polls and is no longer a MP.

Hooda said the eviction notice was served "ex-parte".

The chief minister pointed out that the eviction order had hurt the sentiments of those associated with memories of the former prime minister and farmers' leader Charan Singh.

Hooda strongly suggested that the bungalow should be converted into a Charan Singh memorial complex.