Half of India hungry, why spend crores on new Parliament, asks Kamal

Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan on Sunday (December 13) asked the central government why it was constructing a new building for Parliament spending crores when the country is in the midst of an economic crisis and millions are going hungry.

The Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder’s statement came hours before he launched his party’s campaign for 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly polls.

“Why a 1,000-crore new Parliament when half of India is hungry, losing livelihood due to coronavirus. When thousands died as the Great Wall of China was being built, the rulers said it was to protect people. To protect whom are you building the ₹1,000-crore Parliament? Please answer my honourable elected PM,” he tweeted asking Prime Minister Narendra Modi to answer.

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On December 10, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the construction of the new Parliament House, a part of the ₹20,000 crore Central Vista project, envisaged to renovate government buildings on Rajpath – from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate. The building is expected to be completed by 2022.

Haasan who left for Madurai on Sunday, is expected to campaign across the state.

While addressing the media, the MNM leader said his focus will be to bring about a transformation in the state.

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“Tamil Nadu remains degenerated. We would set it right. We are launching our campaign complying with governments,” he said.

The Tamil Nadu Assembly elections are slated for April-May 2021.