‘Will of the people’: Mayawati justifies her statues in SC

BSP supremo Mayawati on Tuesday defended in the Supreme Court the construction of life-size statues of herself in Uttar Pradesh, saying they represent the "will of the people".

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister, in an affidavit filed in the apex court, said the memorials and statues of herself and other leaders are "intended to promote values and ideals of various sants, gurus, social reformers and leaders among the public and not intended to promote the symbol of BSP or to glorify" her.

Mayawati said in her affidavit that her statues came into being "as the will of the state legislature to represent the will of the people".

In an earlier hearing, the Supreme Court , in oral observations, had said Mayawati should reimburse the public money spent on erecting statues of herself and the party symbol, the elephant, in public places.

She said funds for construction of the memorial and installation of statues were sanctioned through budgetary allocations after approval of the budget by the State legislature.

Ms. Mayawati also sought the dismissal of a plea, which alleged that pubic funds were misused in the construction of memorials and statues, saying it is politically motivated and a gross abuse of process of court of law.