Suresh Singh joined the Congress headquarters when Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister of the country. However, Suresh Singh was neither an official of Congress nor its member or worker. He came to Delhi from Banaras in the year 1984 in search of employment. Here he met LN Pandey, a close associate of Rajendra Kumari Vajpayee and he got Suresh placed in the staff of the Congress Headquarters. Since then, he remained associated with 24, Akbar Road till January 2024 i.e. for 40 years. There are a lot of sweet and sour memories and his eyes become moist when he shares memories of the Congress headquarters.
When Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were Congress presidents, Congress was at its peak. He used to get salary and facilities from Congress Headquarters (AICC). Indira ji and Rajiv ji would separately give something to the staff working in AICC on Holi, Diwali and Eid.
According to Suresh Singh, when he joined the Congress headquarters, there were 5 general secretaries of the party. And 10 joint secretaries with him. Now the Joint Secretary has been promoted as Secretary and joint secretaries have been given lighter tasks. As of today, there are 13 general secretaries in the Congress Party. Apart from President Mallikarjun Kharge, the Congress party has a treasurer Ajay Maken and a joint treasurer Vijay Inder Singla. Apart from this, there are innumerable in-charges and 29 secretaries.
Such a large number could not even be accommodated in 24 Akbar Road. Therefore AICC has made its new headquarters at 9A, Kotla Road. A long time has passed since they shifted there. Now the Urban Development Ministry has said that Congress should vacate its old office at 24, Akbar Road by March 28. Apart from this, 5 Raisina Road has also been asked to vacate.
Congress does not want to vacate its old headquarters. Behind this are the successes of Congress and also countless memories. 24, Akbar Road has been very fortunate especially for the Indira Gandhi family. After the defeat of Congress in 1977, Indira Gandhi returned to the government with a huge majority in the 1980 Lok Sabha elections.
Then the Congress office had come to this 24, Akbar Road. Congress made this bungalow its headquarters in 1978. Then this bungalow was allotted in the name of Andhra Pradesh MP G Venkat Swamy. After the assassination of Indira Gandhi, in 1985, under the leadership of Rajiv Gandhi, the party won 410 seats in the Lok Sabha. At that time Bharatiya Janata Party had got only 2 seats. After this, Congress lost in the 1989 elections and in 1991, Congress alone got 244 seats. Without the help of any other party, Prime Minister Narasimha Rao ran a minority government for 5 years.
Even when the Congress-led UPA government was formed in 2004, this bungalow was still with the Congress. The UPA government ran under the leadership of Manmohan Singh for 10 years. Congress is refusing to vacate this 48 year old bungalow. This bungalow is adjacent to 10, Janpath, the residence of senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi. There is a door between these two bungalows, through which Sonia Gandhi could reach the party headquarters at any time.
AICC staff also have sentiments attached to this bungalow. Congress also always gave better salaries and provident fund, bonus and earned, medical and casual leaves to the staff. Apart from Congress, no other party provides so many facilities to its staff. Suresh also became emotional while telling this. Congress had also made a rule that ministers should select their non-official assistants from AICC staff only.
Apart from this, the canteen of this headquarters of Congress Party will also always be remembered. Food was available here at very affordable prices. In the 1980s and 1990s, a plate was available here for Rs 10. Dosa has been available here at this price till recent years. This was not just for AICC staff, Congress party officials and workers or journalists. In fact, even an unknown person coming from far away places could have food at this price.
There was not much monitoring or questioning even while going inside this headquarters. Till the time of Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Rao, anyone could go here without any restrictions. In later years, security was tightened a bit. Many times even workers of other parties used to come to 24, Akbar Road for food.
Now the attitude of the headquarters at 9A, Kotla Road has become like that of a corporate office. Still negligible compared to BJP. But inquiries have started increasing. This office of Congress also has an illustrious history. This Type-7 shaped bungalow is now 100 years old. In 1912, when the country's capital was moved from Calcutta to Delhi, Sir Edwin Lutyens was entrusted with the task of establishing New Delhi.
He had built many bungalows in this area of 28 square kilometers between 1911 and 1925. Before independence, this bungalow was allotted to British military officer Sir Reginald Maxwell. In 1960, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru gave permission to build it as Burma House (home of the Myanmar ambassador). Myanmar's ambassador Da Khin started living here.
His daughter Aung San Suu Kyi also spent her childhood here. Aung San Suu Kyi later became the President of Myanmar and also received the Nobel Peace Prize. After getting her schooling from Jesus and Mary School, Delhi, she studied political science from Lady Shri Ram College. At that time Lady Shri Ram College was in Darya Ganj. With the split of Congress, the office of today's Congress (INC) also kept changing.
After independence, a new office of Congress was built on Jantar Mantar Road. But when there was a split between the factions of Indira Gandhi and Morarji Desai, Indira Gandhi opened a new office of Congress at 5, Rajendra Prasad Road. But in 1978, Indira Gandhi and the Congress faction that came with her preferred 24, Akbar Road. Buta Singh and AR Antulay were the first to occupy this bungalow. Since then, this bungalow has remained the party office of Congress for 48 years.
Every president also got this bungalow rejuvenated in his own way. Sir Edwin Lutyens had built it with 5 rooms. Apart from this, by adding living room, dining space, kitchen etc. this bungalow became 8 rooms. There were also servant quarters. But today this bungalow has 35 rooms. A room was equipped for each General Secretary and his staff. Now when the government has fixed March 28 as the date for vacating this bungalow, there is panic within the Congress also.
It is also associated with the history of Congress and because it is close to 10 Janpath, Congress wants to keep this bungalow for itself. Now Congress leaders are also threatening that they will go to court against the eviction of the bungalow by the Modi government.
