WHY DO WE NEED CENTRAL VISTA AMID PANDEMIC, ASKS SANJAY RAUT

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena’s chief spokesperson and parliamentarian Sanjay Raut on Friday criticised the Narendra Modi-government’s plan to build Central Vista in the national Capital, asking what use would changing the map of Delhi be when people are struggling to survive and the dead not getting last rites with their bodies floating in the Ganga river.

Raut’s statement comes a day after 12 Opposition leaders, including Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, TMC (Trinamool Congress) chief Mamata Banerjee, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) chief MK Stalin, and NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) president Sharad Pawar, wrote to Prime Minister (PM) Modi to stop the work on Central Vista project and divert the fund to fight Covid-19.

The Sena leader also said the country was running “Ram bharose”, taking potshots at the Centre’s handling of the Covid-19 situation.

“The situation in the country is so bad, what will you do by changing the map of Delhi? People in the country are struggling to survive...people are asking what is the need for Central Vista, new Parliament [house] or new PM‘S residence?” he asked, even as he pointed out that Chhattisgargh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel has stopped the work on the state’s Vidhan Sabha and diverted the funds for Covid-19 management.

The Sena parliamentarian also added though the country has a PM, a home minister and a health minister, but they are not seen at the forefront of Covid-19 management.

“There is a government, administration, PM and a health minister but the deaths due to Covid-19 are increasing, several corpses are floating in the Ganga from Varanasi to Patna...the PM and home minister are on the chair but they need to be seen.”