Vista a wasteful expenditure: Congress

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, January 5

The Congress and the BJP clashed on Tuesday over SC nod to Central Vista with the Opposition terming the project a “misplaced priority”.

Soon as Congress leaders Anand Sharma and Randeep Surjewala questioned the project saying it was a “colossal waste of public money”, Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Puri accused the Opposition of “selective amnesia”.

Puri tweeted a letter the office of Lok Sabha Speaker in 2012 wrote to the Urban Development Ministry flagging the need for a new Parliament building.

Surjewala argued that the issue was not a legalistic one. “It is a case of misplaced priorities… It is ironical that in times of Covid and recession, the government has Rs 14,000 crore for Central Vista and Rs 8,000 crore to buy aircraft for the PM. The same government imposed cuts of Rs 37,530 crore in the allowances of central employees and pensioners,” he said.

Puri, however, said the SC order would pave the way for Delhi becoming a world class capital city. Congress ‘senior spokesperson Anand Sharma said, “Grand buildings of brick and mortar do not strengthen Parliamentary democracy, a functioning Parliament does.”