Congress slams center for giving priority to Central Vista Project amid COVID-19 outbreak

Congress party senior leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Friday slammed the central government for giving priority to Central Vista Project despite country's huge financial challenge due to the coronavirus crisis.

New Delhi:The Congress party on Friday, slammed the union government for prioritising Central Vista Project over the ongoing outbreak of the deadly virus.

While addressing the press, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, "When the entire country is in pandemic mode to fight against COVID-19, the union government is in construction mode."

Congress alleged that the government has fast-tracked the project during the lockdown and demanded to scrap it as it costs around Rs 20,000 crore. Singhvi said that "in the same amount, our country can get 15 lakh ventilators which can help to fight COVID-19."

Supreme Court, on Thursday, declined to stay the Central Vista Project and observed that a similar petition is pending in court. Abhishek Manu Singhvi demanded that the apex court should hear the matter urgently before it reaches an "irreversible" stage.

"Why does this government want to rewrite history? Is it necessary to spend such a huge amount of money to build new buildings when it can be utilised for other things?" he asked. Singhvi further suggested that a fraction of this amount could have been used to help the migrant workers and labourers who are stranded in various parts of the country.

While calling this project as "somebody's hobby horse", Singhvi said that this project completely shows the "absurd" priorities of this government.