The Hindu : Front Page : Court notice to Mayawati on ‘funds misuse’

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Tuesday, Jun 30, 2009
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Court notice to Mayawati on ‘funds misuse’

Legal Correspondent

INSIDE LUCKNOW: Some of the statues of Chief Minister Mayawati and Dalit icons inaugurated by her this past week.

NEW DELHI: Taking note of the serious allegation that public funds meant for development were misused for erecting statues of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, the Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the State government and Ms. Mayawati, seeking their response in four weeks.

A vacation Bench of Justice Dalveer Bhandari and Justice A.K. Ganguly recorded the allegations of petitioner Ravi Kant and asked the respondents to show cause.

Senior counsel Satish Chandra Mishra, appearing for the State, opposed issue of notice, describing the PIL as “political interest litigation”, and denied any diversion of funds. He pointed out that even before the petition came up for hearing the petitioner had gone to the Press.

He denied the charge that the statues were unveiled in a hurry. The issue of notice at this stage would open up a larger issue relating to the use of public land, he said, and made a selective reference to Teen Murti Bhavan in Delhi, saying the land itself would cost more than Rs.5,000 crore.

Justice Bhandari told counsel: “We are not concerned with the personalities involved. We are concerned only with the allegation of diversion of funds. You file your response.” The petitioner alleged that the total money used by Ms. Mayawati, from the budget for 2008-09 and 2009-10 for such projects was Rs.2,000 crore. He said according to information obtained under the Right to Information Act, 60 statues of elephant, the election symbol of Ms. Mayawati’s BSP, were installed at a cost of Rs.52.20 crore by misusing public funds.

Such expenditure violated the various circulars of the Election Commission, which stated that the images of political functionaries, “who have deep influence on the minds of electors and many of whom are still active in public life should not be displayed in government buildings as it would have the effect of disturbing the level playing field”.

The petitioner alleged that spending crores of rupees to falsely glorify leaders in a State like Uttar Pradesh having the lowest human development index was a complete misuse of public money. On June 25, Ms. Mayawati hurriedly unveiled 15 statues, including her own and that of party founder Kanshi Ram.

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