SC TELLS MAYA TO PAY FOR ALL HER STATUES

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday asked BSP chief Mayawati to deposit in the state exchequer public money used for erecting statues of herself and elephants, the party's symbol, at public places in Uttar Pradesh. The oral observations were made by the apex court which was hearing a petition filed in 2009 by an advocate who had alleged that about Rs 2,000 crore was used from the state budget in 200809 and 2009-10, when Mayawati was the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, for installing her statues. It was contended that public money cannot be utilised for creating one’s own statues and for propagating the political party. On May 29, 2009 the court had issued show cause notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and Mayawati. When the matter came up for hearing on Friday, a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said: "Ms Mayawati, pay all the money back. We are of the view that Mayawati should reimburse all the money she has spent." The bench made it clear that tentative observations were made by it as the matter would take some to be disposed of. "We will have it for final disposal on April 2."