BSP says elephant statues put up in parks are not party symbols

LUCKNOW: With the elephant statues, which is the party symbol of the BSP and has been installed in various memorials and parks, coming under the scrutiny of the Election Commission, the party has reacted by claiming that they are merely traditional welcome symbols.

BSP general secretary SC Mishra said that the elephant has been a traditional Indian symbol of welcome, which can be found in various ancient buildings and temples. He said that the elephants which have been installed in the memorials and parks being built by the present government are also in the welcome posture and cannot be linked with the BSP party symbol. He said that previous governments have also built parks that have elephant statues and claimed that even the Rashtrapati Bhawan had statues of elephant.

Mr Mishra pointed out that the elephants placed inside the memorials and parks built in the present Mayawati regime are also symbols of welcome as has been the practice since ages.

Large number of elephant statues which have been placed inside memorials and parks built by the Mayawati government had attracted criticism from political opponents who claimed that Chief Minister Mayawati was installing her party symbol in these parks at the cost of public exchequer. Acting on complaints that the statues were violation of the model code of conduct the Election Commission had on Tuesday served a notice to the BSP seeking its comment on the issue. The BSP president Mayawati has been asked by EC to send her reply by August 12.

Mr SC Mishra said that the party had previously made its stand clear on the issue on similar complaints received by the EC earlier. He said that the rival parties who were alarmed at the growing base of the BSP were deliberately creating a controversy. He said that the party would soon reply to the notice of the EC and said that party symbol of elephant had no similarity to the elephant statues put up in the parks and memorials by the state government.