The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday told the Supreme Court that statues of elephants at memorials and parks built using public funds, are ?welcome? mascots and not election symbols of the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party.
The state government was replying to a petition filed before a three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan, questioning the use of public money to build parks and memorials in the name of Dalit leaders with statues of elephants?BSP?s symbol?dominating the premises.
The petition, filed by advocate Ravi Kant, asked the apex court to decide if the construction of elephant statues at public cost was in violation of the election code of conduct. The Supreme Court on Monday, in turn, asked the Election Commission to verify the matter and decide the question posed by Kant in the next three months.
Appearing for the UP government, senior advocate Satish Chandra Mishra contended that ?we have already responded to the Election Commission that the elephants installed in parks are not meant as the election symbol of the party as alleged, but a welcome symbol?.
He said the intent behind the putting up of the statues was similar to that of the ?North Block and South Block here. You have elephants statues too?. He said statues of elephants are also found in temples and ?the distinction is quite clear?.
But the court said it was still bothered and it was necessary to find a ?solution?. ?More money will be spent removing the statues. Who will give the money? From where the money will come?? the bench said.
But Mishra contended that the matters of the ?state Budget should not be a subject matter before the court in public interest litigations?.
Kant submitted to the court that he was not against the installation of the statues of Dalit icons like Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar and his wife, but was opposed to Mayawati getting her own statues installed.