Why a New Parliament When Half of India is Starving: Kamal Haasan

Comparing the new Parliament building to the Great Wall of China, Kamal Haasan sought answers from the PM.

Puducherry: Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) President Kamal Haasan addresses during a party rally in Puducherry, on March 31, 2019. 

(Photo: IANS)

Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the rationale behind building a Rs 1,000-crore new parliament building when “half of India is starving after losing its livelihood due to COVID-19.”

The Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) party chief took to Twitter seeking answers from PM Modi on the issue. His tweet read:

“Thousands of people died in the construction of the Great Wall of China. The kings said that this wall was to protect the people. When half of India is starving after losing its livelihood due to Corona, who will build a parliament worth Rs 1,000 crore? Please answer my honourable elected PM.”

Haasan’s tweet came just hours before he kick-started the first phase of his campaign for the Assembly polls from Madurai, Tamil Nadu. Assembly elections in the state are due between April-May 2021.

The foundation stone for the new Parliament building was laid on 10 December by PM Modi. The building is set to have an area of 64,500 square metres and is reportedly estimated to cost Rs 971 crore.

The construction of the building, however, has been stopped for now after the Supreme Court pulled up the Centre for aggressively continuing with the project even before a decision on petitions challenging it were decided.