Monumental praise

There are many critics of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BSP president Mayawati for the lavish stone monuments and parks she builds. But a power industry representative in Lucknow begged to differ. His point was that her behaviour was hardly different from monarchs of old who resorted to massive construction works during famines to provide income for the poor. “At least behenji did not park the money in faraway Swiss banks,” he reasoned. Maybe it has escaped his notice that Mayawati is an elected representative, accountable to the people on how she spends public funds, and not a monarch.