Supreme Court censures Uttar Pradesh Government for flouting order

New Delhi, Oct 5(ANI): The Supreme Court on Monday took a serious note of the construction work being carried out at Ambedkar Park despite the court's directive to halt erection of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati's statues at various parks in the state.

Amit Bhandari, the petitioner who challenged the erection of statues by Mayawati with the state funds, said that State Government was rebuked for flouting the court's order.

"The court has now fixed the matter for tomorrow. At 10.30 the matter will start again. But, the court has said that it is not right for Government to carry on construction even after strict order by it on September 11 to carry on no further constructions on the properties," Bhandari said.

"The court has also asked about the people who have given instructions for the construction on the properties where the construction is going on," he added.

As per the information by the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA), the State Government has spent Rs. 34.9 million on installing eight statues of Mayawati at five memorials being constructed in Lucknow.

The Government has also spent another Rs. 33.7 million to install seven statues of Kanshi Ram.

There are 60 statues of elephants, the election symbol of the BSP, erected in these memorials, all at a cost of Rs. 522 million.

Each of these statues, together with their granite-covered pedestals, costs Rs. 8.7 million. (ANI)