BSP claims EC decision of covering statues unjustified

BSP today claimed that Election Commission decision of covering statues of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati and party symbol elephant is one-sided and unjustified and was a violation of Article 14 of the constitution.

BSP National General Secretary Satish Chandra Mishra said that due to the decision taken on the memoranda of SP, Congress and BJP, Dalits and backwards were feeling cheated.

"The decision is violation of Article 14 of the constitution, which provides right of equality. Similar decisions should be taken against other parties also", he said in a letter to the EC.

"A number of BSP workers and supporters wanted to come out on roads to protest the EC decision but BSP supremo Mayawati has given them strict orders to them to maintain law and order so that election process did not get affected", Mishra pointed out.

BSP had expected that EC would hold free and fair elections but its decision had demoralised the party, Mishra said adding that had the EC taken unbiased decision on the issue, BSP would have been given equal chance in the elections.

"The statues installed in parks and memorials are in welcome position with upside trunk and the BSP symbol elephant has down trunk, which did not violate model code of conduct. The elephants--one installed in parks and memorials and the party symbol do not have any similarity", he claimed adding the statues of the elephant are installed in a number of temples and government buildings.