Why leaders don’t vacate their Lutyens Delhi bungalows easily

More often than not, those who have ever lived at the grand bungalows of Lutyens Delhi, they don’t leave their accommodation so easily as it is heavenly area. As you Lutyens’ zone, the old trees of Jamun with huge roots and dense foliage would protect you when sun is on fire. They are mute witness to so many changes that have taken place here over the last several decades. Generations of Delhi have enjoyed the sweet jamuns of these trees during monsoon. They have seen leaders from Charan Singh to Lalu Yadav and Sharad Yadav to Rahul Gandhi and many more have lived in the palatial bungalows’ of Tughlaq Road or Tughlaq Lane. Mostly, these leaders have vacated their abodes once they demit their office. Senior Congress leader and former Lok Sabha MP Rahul Gandhi has recently vacated his 12, Tughlaq Lane bungalow, where he has lived for 19 years. For several years, External Affairs minister, S Jaishankar was Rahul Gandhi’s neighbour at 12, Tughlaq Road. Only Road and Lane divide them. It is said that very often letters to these two leaders were swapped.

Well, former aviation minister and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit Singh had also lived at 12, Tughlaq Road. He was forced to vacate the house in 2014. He was demanding that the house be converted into a memorial for former PM Charan Singh. Charan Singh occupied 12 Tughlaq Road when he became minister in the Morarji Desai cabinet in 1977. Ajit Singh made the demand for his father's memorial only after the directorate of estates served him an eviction notice. But as he failed to vacate the bungalow, New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) snapped power supply. This resulted in protests by RLD supporters in Ghaziabad and other parts of western Uttar Pradesh. Rahul Gandhi had Sharad Yadav as neighbour till last year. He was occupying 7, Tughlaq Road for years together and was in tears when he had to leave it.

Two Gandhis and FIRs

Surely, during his almost two decade’s long stay at Tughlaq Lane, he would move from 1941 built Tughlaq Road police station more often than not. It goes without saying while moving across the police station, he would think of his grand-mother, Indira Gandhi without fail. Well, the significance of this police station is heightened due to the fact many eventful FIRs were registered here. These include the FIRs regarding the assignation of Mahatma Gandhi and later Indira Gandhi. So, two Gandhi’s have something in common ‘at the end’. Arguably, you would not find many police stations with such an ‘gory track record’.

When Mrs Gandhi was killed

It was October 31,1984, and winter was setting in capital. And in order to warm-up for the day, some cops of Tughlaq Road police station were seeping tea inside their room. And SHO Rajindera Prasad was talking to his deputy JS Joon generally. After their brief interaction over hot tea, both Delhi police veterans split. And it was another day at the office for sturdy head-constable Narayan Singh posted at the 1, Safderjung Road attached to the Tughlaq Road police station. He was in the duty of the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s personal security since 1980. He had seen Rahul Gandhi and his sister, Priyanka Gandhi in his teens there.

It was around 9.30 am on October 31, 1984 and SHO Rajindra Prasad was about to leave the police station for round of Tees January Marg, Khan Market and Aurangzeb Road, he got an earth-shattering information through wireless that “PM Indira Gandhi is shot in her house.” He couldn’t believe. He was trembling. “And within seconds the Tughlaq Road police station cops came of out of their slumber. There was near commotion there”, once JS Joon recalled.

Rajindra Prasad with his team rushed to the PM House there and then. And inside the PM house, head constable Narayan Singh, was witnessed to the shooting incident. And the First Information Report (FIR No. 241/84) was filed based on the account of Narayan Singh was recorded at the Tughlaq Road police station. And after serving Delhi police gallantly for around 37 years, Narayan Singh retired in 2010 and shifted to his native place Chamoli in Uttrakhand. And Rajindra Prasad and Joon retired in year 1999 and 2008 respectively.

Tughlaq Road, January 30, 1948

Winter was setting in on October 31, 1984, it was shivering cold in Delhi on January 30, 1948. Jaswant Singh, DSP, Parliament police station, and Dasondha Singh, Inspector of Tughlaq Road police station, were right at the gate of Birla house at Albuquerque Road (now Tees January Marg) when Nathuram Godse shot Mahatma Gandhi. They heard the gun shots. As Tughlaq Road Police station was part of the Parliament police station then, both Jaswant Singh and Dasondha Singh were visiting Birla house in order to see for them that all is well at a daily prayer meeting of Bapu. It was total chaos inside the Birla House. Godse was nabbed by those who came to attend the prayer meet of Bapu. Later, the crowd hand over Godse to Jaswant Singh and Dasondha Singh.

Though Bapu's assassination took place at 5-17 p.m. the FIR no 68 was written at 9.45 p.m.” On the basis of eye-witness account of one Nand Lal Mehta, ASI Dalu Ram wrote the FIR. Mehta was a Gujarati gentleman and visit Birla house daily to hear the sermons of Gandhi ji. He was a resident of M-56 Connaught Place. Mehta passed away in early 70s and his family left their Connaugh Place residence in 1978. Meanwhile, the grand kid of Jaswant Singh still live at Vivek Vihar in East Delhi. Jaswant Singh was a Punjab Police officer who was on two years deputation in Delhi when Bapu was shot. It is said that Dasondha Singh family migrated to Canada long back and South Delhi’s Shahpur Jat resident Dalu Ram was passed away long back.

And who can miss the small Hanuman Mandir on Tughlaq Road. It is on the left side if you drive from Tughlaq Road towards Krishna Menon Marg. It attracts lot of devotees of Tuesday and Saturday. Old timers would recall that even Lal Bahadur Shastri and Jagjiwan Road were regular devotees there.

(The author is Delhi-based senior journalist and writer. He is author of Gandhi's Delhi which has brought to the forth many hidden facts about Mahatma Gandhi)