Cover order is anti-dalit: Mayawati

UP chief minister flays poll body for its ‘one-sided’ decree to hide statues of ruling BSP’s elephant symbol and herself.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati onm Sunday flayed as “one-sided and anti-dalit” an Election Commission (EC) directive to cover her statues and that of the party symbol, elephant, ahead of the coming state poll.

She claimed the EC had “erred” in its order, since these elephants sported a welcome pose as per Indian tradition — and were not a reflection of her party’s symbol.

“Besides, my statues were erected alongside (party founder) Kanshi Ram, as per his written will. But, the order issued by the CEC (Chief Election Commission) smacks of anti-dalit ideology,” she said addressing media persons at party office on her 56th birthday here. “However, in view of the model code of conduct, we have followed the EC order.”

She demanded that the EC should also issue similar directive to cover symbols of other parties — palm of the Congress, lotus of the Bharatiya Janata Party and hand pump for the Rashtriya Lok Dal. Mayawati said these symbols were installed all over the country with public money, but no action had been taken against these parties.

In purported gest, she noted the EC order had, in fact, helped the BSP galvanise party activists and gain maximum media coverage at no extra cost.

“I am thankful to the EC as our party workers are more energised now. The issue is getting impressive pan-India coverage for us, which would otherwise had cost us crores of rupees,” she added with a smile.

The BSP president thanked the media for giving ‘publicity’ to elephant and her statues over past several days, which had accrued gains to her party than loss. Meanwhile, the BSP has written to the EC as a rejoinder to the directives to cover the statues in UP. Party general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra contended that the party should have been given a hearing before the EC passed the order on January 7, whereas the said order had not yet been formally received by the party till date.