india

Updated: Apr 24, 2020 15:34 IST

The Congress on Friday hit out at the central government, accusing it of “continuing with wasterful expenditure like the central vista project”, instead of giving money in the hands of people.

“Despite the coronavirus crisis, Modi government is carrying on with its wasteful expenditure like the Rs 23,000 crore Central Vista project and the Rs 1,10,000 crore bullet train project, nor has the government announced a 30% reduction in govt expenditure,” Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said while addressing a digital press conference.

“We demand that instead of cutting down salaries/allowances of soldiers, pensioners, government employees, government cut down on its wasteful expenditure like the Central Vista Project worth Rs 20,000 crore or bullet train project worth Rs 1 lakh 10 thousand crore,” he added.

“We demand that the BJP government immediately stop this misguided policy. Modi government must give money in the hands of those dealing with a financial crisis in the times of coronavirus pandemic,” said Surjewala.

These remarks come a day after Congress president Sonia Gandhi said that the suggestions she gave to the government on tackling Covid-19 crisis, were only acted upon partially. At a meeting of party’s highest decision-making body, the Congress Working Committee on Thursday, Gandhi said that “large-heartedness and alacrity from the Central Government is conspicuous by its absence”.

“I offered our constructive cooperation and suggestions. Unfortunately, they have been acted upon only partially and in a miserly way. The compassion, large-heartedness and alacrity from the central government is conspicuous by its absence,” she added.

he also attacked the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for “spreading the virus of communal prejudice and hatred” when the entire nation should be united in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a resolution adopted at the meeting, the CWC accused the BJP of seeking to “inflame communal divisions even as the entire nation battles the Covid-19 pandemic”.