Mayawati seeks apology for flaying BSP’S statues

LUCKNOW: Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a 182-metre high statue of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, BSP chief Mayawati sought an apology from the BJP for its comments in the past against installation of statues of Dalit icons.

In a statement, the former chief minister said it was unfortunate that when she got parks, monuments and idols installed of BR Aambedkar and other Dalit icons, she was badgered by the RSS and BJP for splurging public money.

But now the BJP and RSS were gloating over a Rs2,000-plus crore statue of Patel in Gujarat.

She said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) should not only apologize for defaming her but also tell people why it chose an English name, “Statue of Unity,” for Patel, who was every bit an Indian.

The English name made it clear how much of this event was devotion to Patel and how much was it a political game plan, she said.

She said like Dalit leader Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Sardar Patel was also a nationalist and was widely respected.

Mayawati questioned “the politics and faith” behind the English nomenclature of the statue of the country’s irst Home minister, who SHE SAID was an example of Indian culture and traditions.

The 182-metre ‘Statue of Unity’ is the world’s tallest, about twice the height of the Statue of Liberty in the US.

The former UP chief minister said the “foreign stamp” on the construction of Patel’s statue will always trouble Patel’s followers.

She accused the Bharatiya Janata Party and its government at the Centre of Confining PATEL to A region, saying this is an example of BJP’S “narrowmindedness.”