The Narendra Modi government on Monday dodged Opposition demands in the Lok Sabha for announcing a financial package to deal with the coronavirus outbreak, three days after setting in motion a multi-crore-rupee project for redevelopment of the Central Vista, before cutting short the budget session of Parliament because of the pandemic.

The refusal to make a statement on earmarking resources to deal with the pandemic at a time medical professionals are talking about shortage of basic facilities and people are facing economic hardship because of lockdowns made many across social media platforms question the government’s priorities.

All the more since the urban development ministry had notified changes in the Delhi Master Plan 2021 on Friday in the midst of the pandemic spreading in India, paving the way for the redevelopment of the Central Vista, including a new Parliament building.

The cost of the redevelopment has not been officially announced yet but the new Parliament complex alone will cost around Rs 800 crore.

Several other buildings along the Central Vista will be razed to build a common secretariat as part of redeveloping the entire area to create a new capital.

As finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented amendments to the Finance Bill in the Lok Sabha, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury asked for an announcement of a financial package that would help deal with the economic fallout of the pandemic, which has already forced lockdowns in 75 districts across the country. The minister did not respond.

In both Houses, the presiding officers made a reference to the yeoman’s service being rendered by health workers across the country and got members to give them a standing ovation in the Lok Sabha and thump desks in the Rajya Sabha.

While the Finance Bill was cleared by the Lok Sabha without discussion because of the pandemic, the Rajya Sabha witnessed some discussion on the Jammu and Kashmir Appropriation Bill.

Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad asked the government to take the new Union Territory out of political quarantine that has not only alienated the people but also destroyed its economy.