Disqualified as MP, Rahul Gandhi asked to vacate official bungalow on Tughlaq Lane by April 22

The notice to Gandhi to vacate the 12, Tughlaq Lane bungalow was served by the Housing Committee of the Lok Sabha

Days after his disqualification as an MP, Rahul Gandhi was on Monday asked to vacate his official bungalow on Tughlaq Lane by April 22.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat issued the notice to Rahul to vacate the 12, Tughlaq Lane bungalow on Monday, three days after the Lok Sabha Secretariat issued a notification announcing the Congress leader's disqualification following his conviction in a defamation case on Thursday.

In the letter to Rahul, Lok Sabha Secretariat Deputy Secretary Mohit Ranjan said that he was directed to state that the Congress leader is allowed to retain the bungalow along with its units for a "maximum period of one month, ie up to April 22" on similar terms and conditions as applicable to an MP before his disqualification.

Congress Lok Sabha Whip Manickam Tagore, who is also a member of the Lok Sabha Housing Committee, tweeted, "when RG (Rahul Gandhi) spoke against the few corporates getting all in the Narendra baba Sarkar, they reduced his security from SPG to CRPF. When RG spoke on February 7 about Adani and Modi's friendship, he was disqualified as MP on March 24. When RG spoke on March 25 about Mo-Adani, on March 27, they wanted to take the house also...What else can you take from him now? Rahul Gandhi speaks the truth and he is fighting for India against the wealth being gifted to Adani that's making him super rich."

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Congress Deputy Leader Pramod Tiwari said the move showed "BJP's hatred" towards Rahul. "For a period of 30 days after the notice is served, one can rightfully continue to stay in the same house. After the 30-day time period, one can continue to stay in the same house by paying rent at market rates. Rahul Gandhi comes under 'Z' plus security category," he was quoted by ANI as saying.

Claiming that the BJP attempts to silence the voices of dissent, the party's Rajya Sabha Whip Syed Nasir Hussain said this "witch hunt was not unexpected" and it is "nothing new" in the BJP, throwing one of the important Opposition leaders out of Parliament through "devious means".