The Congress and other Opposition parties on Thursday questioned the timing and need for a new Parliament building amid the coronavirus pandemic and the farmers’ protest.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala criticised the PM for the ceremony and “building a palace for himself” even as the farmers’ protest entered its 16th day. In a separate tweet, he said Parliament “is not mortar and stones”, but it imbibes the Constitution and represents values like democracy, equality and compassion.
“What would a building built upon trampling of these values represent,” Surjewala asked.
CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury took exception to Modi’s speech at the foundation laying ceremony, where he spoke about values and culture of democracy.
Yechury accused the PM of indulging in “diabolic doublespeak” by attacking democracy and dissent in practice.
Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said foundation stone laying ceremony of the new Parliament building “at a time when the farmers are protesting to save their basic thali is equivalent to playing DJ music inside a funeral ground”.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) took a jibe at the Centre, saying it is indeed historical that the “head servant” is doing ground worship of the new Parliament when the peasants are fighting for their rights.
“It is historical. The peasants are fighting for their right on the streets in severe cold, water splashes and police sticks on them. And the “head-servant” is doing the ground worship of the new Parliament of Rs 971 crores,” the AAP tweeted.
Former civil servants are among those who have severely criticised the Modi Government for not cutting down on “luxuries” like the Central Vista project amid the coronavirus crisis.