Mayawati defends memorials, parks
LUCKNOW: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Saturday took to Twitter to defend her government’s decision to erect parks and memorials in memory of Dalit icons.
Reacting to media coverage on the Supreme Court’s oral observation asking her to reimburse the public money spent on her statues and those of her party symbol in parks and memorials, the BSP chief advised the “BJP and the media” against “kite flying”.
“Marvellous sthals/ memorials/ parks etc. built to honour hitherto ignored great saints, gurus and great men born in deprived and oppressed dalit and OBCs are new grand identity and tourist attraction of Uttar Pradesh which gives regular income to government,” she said in four tweets, two in Hindi and two in English. Expressing hope of getting justice in the matter, she tweeted “Humble request to media please don’t distort oral observation of the Hon’ble Court. Sure to get justice in this matter also. Media and BJP leaders please stop kite flying.”
The statues of Mayawati and elephants, her party symbol were put up at Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Sthal, Manyavar Kanshiram Smarak Sthal, Buddha Vihar Shanti Upvan, Ramabai Ambedkar Rally Maidan, Manyavar Kanshiram Yaadgaar Vishraam Sthal, Samata Mulak Crossing, Kanshiram Sanskriti Sthal and Manyavar Kanshiram Green Ecogarden in Lucknow.
They were also put up at Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal and Green Garden in Noida.
Both of her tweets got around 3,000 likes and were retweeted over 600 times barely hours after the launch.