Mayawati slams EC on statue row

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati, on her 56^th birthday on Sunday, slammed the Election Commission for covering statues of her and her party’s symbol, the elephant, before the assembly election. She termed it as anti-Dalit and one sided.

“The Election Commission made a one-sided decision to cover statues of elephants and those of mine installed to honour the will of Kanshiram, without hearing my party,” she told scribes on her 56th birthday.

The poll panel had ordered that Mayawati's statues and the BSP party symbol be covered till the entire election month from Feb 8 to March 4 is over.

She said the installation of my statue alongside the party founder was the will of Kanshiram. Keeping the election in eye, her tone was more to raise Dalit sentiments against the Opposition.

The BSP supremo said that the CEC should have taken the right decision. She cited BJP’s lotus symbol that is used in every pooja, and Congress has been using the colors of national flag in its party flag, and asks the EC to be fair in this respect while taking such decision.

She expressed her anger over EC’s biased attitude by stating that her party has followed constitutional rules and respected EC’s decision by draping all those statues in question and hence the Commission should have issued similar directives to get Congress’ poll symbol ‘hand’ and RLD’s symbol ‘handpump’ covered like the statues of elephant.  

Further referring to EC order, Mayawati said that Centre and Opposition are insulting Kanshiram for which Dalits will not forgive them. On this day, when she refused to celebrate her birthday unlike previous years, she addressed her party workers that a victory for BSP would be her biggest birthday gift.

Mayawati also released a list of candidates (all the 403 seats) for the upcoming assembly polls in the state. Tickets have been given to 88 SC candidates, 103 OBC, 85 religious minorities particularly Muslims and 117 upper caste that includes 77 Brahmins and 33 Kshatriyas. 

The BSP chief stressed the fact the selection of candidate was solely based on merit, and clean image while special attention was paid that each candidate are dedicated to BSP movement and development of their respective areas.