Govt with vision essential, not Central Vista project: Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi: The Central Vista project is not essential now, but a central government with a vision is, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday as the country saw a record single-day rise of over 3.60 lakh coronavirus cases.
India's death toll also crossed two lakh following 3,293 fresh fatalities, according to Union health ministry data updated on Wednesday.
"Central Vista- not essential. Central Government with a vision- essential," he said in a tweet.
The Central Vista revamp project, which was announced in September last year, envisages a new triangular Parliament building, with seating capacity for 900 to 1,200 MPs, and it is targeted to be constructed by August, 2022 when the country will be celebrating its 75th Independence Day.
The common Central Secretariat, a part of the project, is likely to be built by 2024. In another tweet, Gandhi lauded the common people for helping each other.
"By helping each other, the common people show that to touch someone's heart one need not touch one's hands. Keep helping," he said in a tweet in Hindi, using the hashtag "#TogetherStronger".
Gandhi asked people to continue helping each other and expose the reality of the "blind system".
The second wave of the coronavirus infection has put huge pressure on the public health system, with hospitals in several states reeling under a shortage of medical oxygen, beds, medicines and equipment.
Gandhi and the Congress have been critical of the government's response to the COVID-19 crisis.
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SP has ended contract with I-PAC due to fund constraints: Akhilesh Yadav
Lucknow (PTI): Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said his party has severed its association with the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) due to a lack of funds.
He dismissed speculations that the termination of contract was because of recent election results.
Addressing a press conference here, Yadav said the party had engaged I-PAC for a brief period ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections but could not continue the arrangement.
"Yes, we had an association. They worked with us for a few months, but we are not able to continue because we do not have that kind of funding," he said.
The I-PAC is a political consultancy firm known for managing major election campaigns across the country.
Election strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor has also been associated with the organisation in the past and has worked with multiple parties, including the BJP and the Congress.
In a lighter vein, Yadav took a swipe at the ecosystem of political consultancies. "We thought that if we have to work with a 'winning agency', then there are several big companies."
He said that some people suggested conducting surveys, hiring another firm, keeping a social media company, and even engaging agencies for negative campaigning against other parties.
"There are one or two more companies whose names are not yet known. I can get those for you as well," Yadav said.
Yadav rejected the suggestion that the decision to end the deal was influenced by recent election outcomes in states such as West Bengal.
"There is no such thing. Do not ask questions based on baseless reports. That is not true," he said.
"This is not the reason for ending the agreement. We simply do not have enough funds. If you (the media) give us funds, we can hire another company," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said.
