Mayawati asks BJP leaders, media to not distort oral observation of SC

Lucknow: A day after the Supreme Court said BSP chief Mayawati may have to reimburse the public money spent on erecting her statues, she asked BJP leaders and the media not to "distort" the observation of the court.

The final hearing in the case against the former UP chief minister is on April 2.

"Humble request to the media please don't distort oral observation of the Honourable court. Sure to get justice in this matter also. Media and BJP leaders please stop kite flying," she said in a tweet.

Mayawati said marvellous memorials and parks built to honour "ignored" gurus and sants born in Dalit and OBC communities are a new grand identity and tourist attractions in the state.

The Bahujan Samaj Party supremo said the party's viewpoint will be placed before the court.

On Friday, the apex court had said, "We are of the tentative view that Mayawati has to deposit the public money spent on her statues and party symbol to the state exchequer."

The remarks were made by the court which was hearing a petition filed in 2009 by an advocate who had alleged that hundreds of crores of rupees were used from the state budget for 2008-09 and 2009-10, when Mayawati was the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, for installing her statues and BSP's symbol at different places.

It was contended that public money cannot be utilised for creating own statues and for propagating the political party.

Speaking on the issue, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, who in the past has lashed out at Mayawati for getting her statues erected with the state's money, Friday went soft on his alliance partner. "I don't have full information about this. The court might have made some observations. BSP's lawyers will put their side in the court," he told reporters.

The SP and the BSP recently announced their alliance for Uttar Pradesh in the coming Lok Sabha elections, putting aside their once bitter rivalry.