Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on April 2 countered criticism in the Supreme Court against her statues and elephant sculptures dotting the Uttar Pradesh landscape, asking why no questions are raised either in the court or media about the 182-metre high statue of Sardar Vallabhai Patel in Gujarat, Yogi Adityanath's proposed 221-m tall Lord Ram or the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue project pegged at a whopping Rs. 3643.78 crore.
In an affidavit, Mayawati said her statues are a show of respect by the people for a "contemporary dalit woman leader".
The affidavit provides a personal note in which Mayawati conveys the deep impression which the poverty and backwardness of the backward communities left in her mind. How she decided to "sacrifice her life" for their betterment. "I decided to give up my life to espouse their cause... to dedicate my life for the downtrodden and for this I also took a decision to remain unmarried," she told the Supreme Court.
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Politically motivated case
The statues are a recognition of her noble deeds and welfare measures as Chief Minister, she said. The funds for the memorials, sthals and parks in which her statues find a place were passed by the State legislatures, which are the final authority in such matters of funding. How could she question the legislature which represents the will of the people? The case against her is politically motivated, Mayawati told the court.
Mayawati said these memorials and parks dedicated to social reformers and leaders educate the public about them and are also a source of revenue from visitors.
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"Construction of statues and memorials is not a new phenomenon," Mayawati pointed out.
She said the years of the Congress regime have seen statues of Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and P.V. Naraismha Rao sprout all across the country at the expense of the public exchequer.
The affidavit said the 182-metre 'Statue of Unity' of Sardar Patel has spurred other state governments to kick off statue projects of their own at public expense. Most of them are meant to shrink the BJP-ruled Gujarat government's 'Statue of Unity'.
She said the U.P government has already set aside ₹200 crore to acquire land for a "gigantic" 221-metre high Ram statue at the banks of river Sarayu in Ayodhya. The Maharashtra government Shivaji statute project is expected to come up on the Arabian Sea near the Mumbai coast. Likewise, Karnataka government has proposed a 350-feet tall Mother Cauvery statue, Andhra government wants to install a 32-metre tall statue worth ₹155 crore of former chief minister and actor N.T. Rama Rao in Amaravati city and Tamil Nadu government has an idea to construct a statute of Jayalalithaa at Marina Beach for ₹50.08 crore.
Violation of Article 14 of the Constitution
Mayawati said the elephant statues do not represent the party symbol of her party. They are ornamental or architectural designs. "Elephants standing in welcome posture is not a new phenomenon," she said. Elephants were subject matter of welcome arches in ancient times. They also feature as a welcome sign over the Speaker's chair in the parliament. They are part of the State emblems for Kerala and Karnataka. In fact they feature in ₹10 currency note to the logo of Delhi University. They are seen in the Red Fort and the Ajanta and Ellora Caves to other historic places. "Elephants represent peace, strength and energy.. In Hinduism, elephants are considered sacredband symbolises the deity Lord Ganesha," she said.
The affidavit is in response to February 8 remarks made by the Supreme Court, indicating a "tentative view" that Mayawati would have to cough up and pay back to the public exchequer the money she spent on erecting statues of herself and party symbol 'elephant' in public parks across Lucknow and Noida.
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi posted the petition filed by Supreme Court advocate Ravi Kant in 2009 alleging that crores of public money was spent by then Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on these acts of self-aggrandisement.
Mr. Kant has alleged that about ₹2,000 crore was used from the state budget for 2008-09 and 2009-10 to ‘falsely glorify’ the then chief minister. The petitioner has said the State government should be directed to remove the statues of Mayawati and her party symbol ‘elephant’ from public land.
“The said activity is being carried out as a State policy, which is arbitrary and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution. Sixty statues of elephant were installed at a cost of ₹52.20 crore at public places by utilising state funds,” the petition had alleged in 2009.