Hardeep Singh Puri visits Central Vista site to check on 'quick progress being made'

Union Minister for Housing & Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri has been constantly defending the union government's much-huped Central Vista Project. He recently paid a visit to the site and mentioned the construction update and diligence of the labourers.

Earlier today, via his Twitter handle, the Urban Affairs Minister stated, " Work is on schedule. Quick progress being made. The new-look Central Vista Avenue, with a judicious mix of modern with traditional, will redefine the heart of the city. More public spaces. Easier public access. Greener & better"

Hardeep Singh Puri further shared, "Toil & perseverance of our workers is giving shape to architectural heritage for the future generations. I visited the Central Vista Avenue & New Parliament sites to take stock today"

Taking a jibe at the critics of the proposed project for a New Parliament, he said, "Happy to inform the ‘Vidvaans’ that their ice cream evenings are going to get even better!

"Central Vista project is a criminal wastage" - Rahul Gandhi

Congress along with other opposition parties have vehemently criticised the construction of the Central Vista project by labelling it as a "vanity project". Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi has called it "criminal wastage," and asked the Central Government to use the project money on improving medical infrastructure during the COVID-19 pandemic despite Rs 35,000 crore have been allotted by the Centre for ramping up health infrastructure in the country in light of COVID-19 pandemic.

In retaliation, Hardeep Singh Puri time and again has come forward in defence of the Central Vista Project and exhumed various instances wherein the hypocrisy of people opposing the construction was exposed. He made reference to Salman Khurshid's visits to China just a week after the border dispute in the Ladakh region in 2013. Salman Khurshid had then said he would love to live in Beijing. Hitting out at Congress, Hardeep Singh had contended that the Congress leaders praised the development in other countries but are making all efforts to criticise the infrastructural works taking place in India.

Hardeep Singh Puri also put out a tweet of Congress leader and former HRD Minister Shashi Tharoor who had lamented about the Indian Parliament in 2018 while speaking highly of the Malaysian Parliament. Visiting the empty chambers of Lower House of the Malaysian Parliament in 2018, Tharoor had made elaborate praises of the Malaysian Parliament saying "each MP has their own nameplate, plush leather swivel chair, laptop and mike". While describing the Indian Parliament, Tharoor had said, "We in Lok Sabha sit crammed on benches with no leg room to stand, let alone swivel." He had then called for an upgrade for the Indian Parliament.