Mayawati defends memorials after SC remark

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Saturday said parks and memorials were built in Uttar Pradesh during her regime to honour great men from among oppressed Dalit and OBCs. These have become tourist spots, generating revenue for the government, she added.

"Marvellous sthals/memorials/parks built to honour hitherto ignored great saints, gurus and great men born in deprived and oppressed Dalit and OBCs are new grand identity and tourist attraction of Uttar Pradesh, which gives regular income to government," Mayawati said in series of tweets.

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

Her remarks have come a day after the Supreme Court said it was of the "tentative view" that she should reimburse the public exchequer the money spent on putting up statues of elephant in Lucknow and Noida.

Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi on Friday, while hearing a plea seeking recovery of the amount spent on statues in memorial parks dedicated to BSP founder Kanshi Ram in UP, said "this is our tentative view that Madam Mayawati reimburse the public exchequer all the money spent on these elephants".

The next hearing will be on April 2.

--IANS

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