New Delhi:
As officials are busy covering up statues of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati and of elephants, the ruling BSP's symbol, in Noida and Lucknow to comply with the Election Commission (EC) order, the Poll panel chief, SY Quraishi, today justified his move. In an exclusive interview to NDTV, Mr Quraishi has said that the statues are being covered to ensure a level playing field.
"We are covering statues to ensure a level playing field. Government property can't be used for political gain," Mr Quraishi said.
"There is nothing unusual in covering statues. Those criticising our decision to cover statues ill-informed," he added.
The EC's move sparked a debate across the state, which holds assembly elections over seven phases in February. While Opposition parties are thrilled over the EC conceding their demand, the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party has taken strong exception to the move.
"This is the right step. After all, Mayawati's statues are all over the place together with those of elephants in the several parks and memorials created by her with government funds worth thousands of crores. How can those be kept open when we are not even allowed to put up posters or banners," said Samajwadi Party leader Shiv Pal Yadav.
BSP spokesperson Swami Prasad Maurya countered him by labelling the poll panel's move unfair.
"If elephants have to be wrapped up because elephant is also the BSP symbol and the Election Commission thinks the statues can influence voters, then why don't they cover every lotus growing in ponds and not allow any individual on the street to raise his hand," he said, referring to the Bharatiya Janata Party's symbol of the lotus and the Congress' hand symbol.
Some political analysts were of the view that the move could prove counter-productive and ultimately help Mayawati consolidate her Dalit vote bank.
"I would not be surprised if Mayawati tries and twists this to gain sympathy by raising her usual 'Dalit ki beti' bogey to impress upon her voters that she was being targeted simply because she was a Dalit and that tomorrow the opposition could even pull down all those statues if she was voted out," said veteran journalist PC Tandon.
With only two days to go before the January 11 deadline, officials were busy covering up the statues today. For those counting, there are nine Mayawati statues and 25 elephants that will need to be covered at the Lucknow park and two Mayawatis and 52 elephants at the Noida park that the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister inaugurated with much fanfare only a few months ago.
"The task is huge and would require both the procurement of material and arrangement of manpower," said Lucknow District Magistrate Anil Kumar Sagar. "We will do our best to get the work completed latest by Wednesday evening."
(With IANS inputs)