BJP attacks Akhilesh for flouting SC on advertisement

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday accused Akhilesh Yadav-led Uttar Pradesh government of violating the Supreme Court guidelines over displaying of pictures in government advertisements.

BJP spokesperson Harish Chandra Srivastava told reporters that by bringing out a print advertisement in newspapers with a picture of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, the state government has cocked a snook at the apex court's recent ruling.

The ruling said government advertisements could only carry pictures of the President, Prime Minister or the Chief Justice of India.

"By giving full page advertisements with regard to an MoU (memorandum of understanding) signing event between UPCA (Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association) and the Ekana Sports City for an international cricket stadium in the state capital, sporting pictures of Yadav, the SC rulings have been blatantly violated," Srivastava said.

Putting pictures of other state ministers in the advertisement is adding insult to injury, the BJP leader fumed.

While officials in the state government chose to remain tight-lipped on the new advertisement that has triggered a row, officials of the state information and public relations department said the advertisement had been issued by the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association, Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) and the Ekana Sports City.

Officials said the Uttar Pradesh government was already in the process of challenging the Supreme Court ruling on the matter.

-- Indo-Asian News Service

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