New Delhi: While the Narendra Modi government has repeatedly passed austerity diktats calling on its ministers to tighten their belts to set an example for the nation, an RTI report showed that many BJP MPs stayed at lavish hotels on taxpayers’ money.

According to the report till November 15,2014, 92 MPs, several of them from the BJP, have been living at the Ashoka Hotel in Delhi since their elections even though they have been allotted the government accommodation.

The rules state that once a house is allotted, MPs must take up residence within eight days. The bill for the stay of 92 MPs at Ashoka Hotel is likely to run into crores.

RTI activist Chadrasekhar Gaod said, “It is clear from the report that some of these ministers have stayed in hotels for 6-7 months.”

The MPs, on the other hand, stated that they have not done anything wrong and the data was outdated.

BJP MP from North East Delhi Manoj Kumar Tiwari said, “I have not stayed at the Ashoka hotel after December.”

His views were echoed by his party colleague Maheish Girri. Girri, who represents East Delhi constituency in the Lok Sabha, said, “The details available are outdated. They have not deleted our names from the list.”

This is a major embarrassment for the Modi government which swept to power on its promise of good governance.