Hitting out at the Akhilesh Yadav regime in Uttar Pradesh for the first time since she lost power, the former Chief Minister, Mayawati, warned the government of serious consequences if any attempt was made to alter the façade of the parks and memorials of Dalit icons in the State.
The Bahujan Samaj Party president was addressing party workers at the Bhimrao Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Sthal on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Dr. Ambedkar on Saturday.
She said there would be a law and order problem in the State, as well as in the rest of the country, if a new construction was made in the complexes of the memorials and parks dedicated to eminent persons belonging to Dalits and the Other Backward Classes.
Ms. Mayawati reminded the government that during the BSP rule, no new construction had been allowed in the memorials, museums and parks dedicated to eminent persons associated with the Samajwadi Party. Also, no employees responsible for maintenance of these monuments were removed from their posts. “It was ensured by her government that due respect was given to the memorials.”
The BSP supremo's attack came in the wake of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's statement that the huge spaces in the memorials and parks built by the previous regime would be put to better use. Mr. Yadav, though, had clarified that the statues (of the Dalit icons) would not be removed.
However, the SP government has removed 48 officers of the U.P. Rajkiya Nirman Nigam Limited appointed by the Mayawati government and assigned the task of maintaining the parks and memorials in Lucknow and Noida. It has also ordered a probe into the construction of the BSP monuments.
Ms. Mayawati also slammed the government for its ‘failure' to organise a memorial programme for paying tributes to Dr. Ambedkar on his ‘jayanti.'
After addressing the gathering at the Samajik Parivartan Sthal, Ms. Mayawati paid floral tributes to Dr. Ambedkar at ‘Bahujan Samaj Prerna Kendra.' She said the BSP government had ensured that Dr. Ambedkar's ideals and philosophy were followed to the hilt.
