The Estate Department has issued a notice to the Congress, asking it to vacate its long-time headquarters at 24 Akbar Road by March 28, party sources said on Wednesday.
The development comes months after the party shifted to its new headquarters, Indira Bhavan at Kotla Marg. Despite the relocation last year, the Akbar Road premises has continued to remain in use.
The notice pertains to the bungalow that has served as the Congress’ central office for nearly five decades.
Reacting sharply, Congress leaders accused the government of trying to pressure the party.
Reacting to the notice, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari criticised the Centre, saying the party would respond after internal discussions. “The BJP government is not a democratic govt. It is unfortunate. Let the notice reach us. We will act on it after holding discussions,” he said. Party MP Imran Masood also hit out at the government, accusing it of trying to pressure the Congress. “The government thinks it can silence Congress by creating pressure on us. They should not try to scare us,” he said, questioning the allotment of BJP offices. “Have they got the BJP office at 11, Ashok Road or at Pant Marg?” he added. Masood further alleged that the move was aimed at diverting attention from international developments. “Because they have not been able to do anything regarding the Iran war, they are trying to deflect attention from this issue,” he said.
A political address with deep history
The bungalow at 24 Akbar Road has been synonymous with the Congress for nearly 48 years, serving as its political nerve centre through key phases, including the tenures of Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, PV Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh.
The property has an older legacy as well. During the British era, it housed Sir Reginald Maxwell, a member of the Viceroy’s Executive Council. In the 1960s, it served as the residence of Myanmar’s Ambassador Daw Khin Kyi, where her daughter Aung San Suu Kyi spent several years.
Its association with the Congress dates back to the late 1970s, when Indira Gandhi, following the party split after the 1977 defeat, shifted operations to the bungalow offered by her close aide G Venkatswamy.
Over the decades, the premises were expanded to accommodate the party’s growing organisational needs before the eventual move to the new headquarters at Kotla Marg.