Congress calls newly-constructed Parliament building a 'personal vanity project' of PM

The Congress on Thursday said the newly-constructed Parliament building is a "personal vanity project" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and asked what is the use of such a building if the opposition's microphones are switched off.

The opposition party also said that Parliament is not merely a building but the voice of the voiceless.

AICC general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh shared a picture of the prime minister inspecting the ongoing work in the new Parliament building and said,  "The sole architect, designer and worker for the new Parliament building, which he will inaugurate on May 28th. The picture tells it all—personal vanity project." Congress MP and party whip in Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore tweeted, "Parliament building's are not only of brick and cement, it's voice of the voiceless people." "It's not about space .. It's not about facilities.. It's voice. But now when mikes are switched off for Opposition. What's the use of this," he asked.

Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate the newly-constructed Parliament building on May 28.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla met with Modi on Thursday and extended an invitation to inaugurate the new building, the Lok Sabha Secretariat said here.

The new Parliament building can comfortably seat 888 members in the Lok Sabha chamber and 300 in the Rajya Sabha chamber, it said.