UP govt begins uncovering of Maya's statues

New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday started uncovering Chief Minister Mayawati's statues in Lucknow. The statues were covered on January 7 upon the Election Commission's orders, after several opposition parties raised a hue and cry about her statues being in the open in poll season.

The parties alleged that the BSP would have an unfair advantage in the elections because of them. In Lucknow, nine statues of Mayawati and 156 statues of elephants, the BSP's poll symbol, were covered, while in Noida, two statues of Mayawati and 52 elephants were draped.

The Election Commission's model code of conduct states that pictures of all candidates on public property must be covered during elections. The same logic apply to statues as well.

The Congress had earlier commented on the issue saying, "The Election Commission takes appropriate steps at appropriate time. The Election Commission is fully alive to a situation like this."

Last year, Mayawati had inaugurated the 33-acre Dalit Prerna Sthal or the Ambedkar Park in Noida. The chief minister reportedly spent Rs 650 crore on the development of the park, which has several statues of Dalit leaders, Dr BR Ambedkar and Kashi Ram.

The park also has 24 pink sandstone elephants and life-size statues of Mayawati herself.

Posted in: Politics