PM's visit to Central Vista project site "thoughtless, insensitive" gesture: Cong

New Delhi: The Congress on Monday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for visiting the construction site of the Central Vista project, and dubbed it as a “thoughtless and insensitive” gesture.

The party also said the timing of the Central Vista project was questionable as the country was still recovering from the coronavirus pandemic after losing precious lives during the second wave.

“We would have supported him had he visited some hospital site. I am sorry we cannot support a gesture as thoughtless, as insensitive as this,” Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera told reporters.

Asked about the prime minister’s visit to the under-construction site of the new Parliament complex, the Congress leader asked whether he ever visited a hospital or an oxygen plant site.

“I don’t know if the prime minister was seen visiting a hospital or an oxygen plant under construction. Three months ago, we were trying to save our loved ones and today our PM goes to visit the Rs 25,000 crore Central Vista project, the timing of which is questionable. The country is yet to recover from the pain, grief and sorrow that we went through,” he said.

Modi on Sunday visited the construction site of the new Parliament building, which is expected to be completed in the second half of the next year.

He also spoke to people involved in the construction as he inspected the ongoing work, official sources said

The building is part of the Central Vista project, which has faced criticism from the opposition.

Government officials have said that Parliament’s Winter session in 2022 will be held in the new building.

The new Parliament building will have an area of 64,500 square metres.