The Trinamool Congress on Sunday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for wasting thousands of crores of taxpayers’ money in constructing lavish buildings like the new Parliament house when crores of his fellow citizens were fighting against unemployment and price rise.
Comparing the Prime Minister to the ancient Roman emperors Nero, TMC second-in-command Abhishek Banerjee said, “He (Prime Minister) is behaving like Nero who played flute when Rome was in fire otherwise what explains expenditure of so many thousands of crores in wasteful architectures like the new parliament house while people of the country are starving.”
Raising the issue of petro-price hike he said, “had he not spent these crores of rupees to construct big buildings then the price of the cooking gas would have been around Rs 700 and petrol ... similarly petrol and kerosene prices too would have come down.”
Instead of spending billions for constructing a lavish Parliament building or a Prime Ministerial or the Vice Presidential palaces, the Prime Minister should have released the MNREGA funds and other dues of Bengal so as to feed the mounts of thousands of poor job card holders who had not been paid despite having worked in the hundred days’ work scheme.
Contrasting the BJP Government’s penchant for setting up tall monarchical architectures and its alleged refusal to provide small space to the Opposition Banerjee who is also the nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, “of what use such an expensive building is when the Opposition MPs are not allowed to express their view in Parliament … when their microphones are switched off when they rise up to speak.”
Questioning the presence of religious leaders during the inauguration of the new landmark building the TMC national general secretary said, “a Parliament building should be graced by the Prime Minister, his Cabinet, members of parliament and other such functionaries and not sadhus who should grace the temples and other religious places … their presence in parliament in overwhelming numbers only proves towards what direction he (Prime Minister) wants to take the nation.”
Saying that “this Sunday” would be remembered as a day marking the “BJP’s arrogance” in not inviting President Droupadi Murmu to inaugurate the new Parliament House, Banerjee who, like many other Opposition MPs boycotted the inauguration programme said “for the sake of elections they nominated a tribal woman candidate as the President of India but when it came to honouring her today he (Prime Minister) refused to let her inaugurate Parliament building … by doing so he has insulted the tribal people, the women and also the President of India.”
Referring to Modi’s call for Acchhe Din (good days) and Parivartan (change) Banerjee said “I the name of change he (Prime Minister) changed names of roads and institutions instead of changing the system … he changed notes … whereas he should have changed his conduct, his mindset towards looking at things,” adding, “tomorrow if they come to power once again then they will change the Constitution.”
Alleging that in spite of 63 percent people voting against the BJP in 2019 the Prime Minister was imposing his will on the people Banerjee said, “this time however the people will change you and your political career will witness a big change in the form of people ousting you from power.”
On the Prime Minister promise to instill integrity and honesty, Banerjee said “when he came to power he spoke of na khaunga … na khane dunga (I will neither steal nor anyone to steal) … but today we see how you have awarded people like Hemanta Biswa Sharma, Narayana Rane or Suvendu Adhikari with big posts.”