‘Use Central Vista money for Covid-19’

Questioning the government’s priorities during the Covid crisis, the Congress on Tuesday said it should deploy all resources in saving the lives of the people instead of building a new prime minister’s residence.

The opposition party’s criticism came following reports that the prime minister’s residence would be completed by December 2022 as part of the central vista project.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the prime minister’s “ego is bigger than people’s lives” and asked why ₹13,450 crore was being spent on the central vista project and not for fully vaccinating people or providing them oxygen or financial help during the pandemic.

“₹13,450 crores for Central Vista. Or, for fully vaccinating 45 crore Indians. Or, for 1 crore oxygen cylinders. Or, to give 2 crore families NYAY of ₹6000. But, PM’s ego is bigger than people’s lives,” he said on Twitter.

Congress spokesperson Shaktisinh Gohil said at a press conference that while the people are gasping for life, “the Sultan is busy building his castle”.

“At a time when the people of the country are struggling with a shortage of oxygen, vaccines, hospital beds, medicines, it would be better if the government deploys all resources in saving the lives of the people rather than building a new house for the PM at ₹13,000 crore,” Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said in a tweet. “Such expenses send a message to the public that the government’s priorities are elsewhere,” the Congress general secretary said. Gohil urged the government to reconsider the decision and spend the money on improving health infrastructure instead.