"Every dictator wants to leave behind his architectural legacy. Colossal waste of money".
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Thursday claimed that the new parliament building in Delhi is a "waste of money" and it is nothing but a "personal vanity project" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
According to the Congress leader, PM Modi like every "dictator" wants to leave behind his architectural legacy through the new parliament building.
Jairam Ramesh took to Twitter and said, "The first of the personal vanity projects. Every dictator wants to leave behind his architectural legacy. Colossal waste of money".
Earlier on Thursday Prime Minister Modi visited the new parliament building for a surprise visit.
He spent more than an hour and inspected various works. Prime Minister Modi observed facilities coming up at both Houses of the Parliament and also interacted with the construction workers.
Congress Party leaders have been criticizing the construction of the new parliament and central vista project since its announcement.
Earlier Congress leader Randeep Surjewala took to Twitter and said, "Mr Modi, It will also be recorded in history that when farmers were fighting for their rights on the streets for 16 days, you were building a palace for yourself in the name of Central Vista. In a democracy, power is not meant to fulfil whims, it is a means of public service and welfare".
He further stated that the Parliament building is not about mortar and stones and it envisions democracy and imbibes Constitution.
"Dear PM, Parliament is not mortar and stones. It envisions democracy. It imbibes Constitution. It is economic-political-social equality. It is compassion and camaraderie. It is the aspiration of 130 crore Indians. What would a building built upon trampling of these values represent?" he tweeted.
It has to be noted that the Congress party also boycotted the foundation laying ceremony of the new parliament building.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)