Cong, SP slam Mayawati, want probe on statues' issue

LUCKNOW: Opposition parties on Friday slammed Mayawati for unveiling statues and parks of Dalit leaders ahead of schedule, saying it was aimed at pre-empting the Supreme Court from putting these projects on hold.

"The manner in which the chief minister hurriedly unveiled the statues and parks yesterday is indicative of her guilt at misusing government funds for party work," Congress spokesman Akhilesh Pratap Singh said here.

Mayawati had unveiled the 15 statues, which included that of BSP founder late Kanshi Ram and her own, and parks at a hurriedly-organised function here on Thursday, nine days ahead of schedule.

This was seen by the Congress as an attempt to pre-empt the Supreme Court from stopping her from going ahead with unveiling of the statues and also a bid to upstage Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, who planned to hold a protest on July 3, the day Mayawati's function was earlier slated.

A public interest litigation (PIL) against the UP government on the issue is expected to come up on July 3.

In Delhi, Congress leader Digvijay Singh demanded an inquiry into the whole episode, accusing her of "wasting public money".

"Money of people is being wasted. People will not forgive her. She has seen the result in Lok Sabha elections earlier... BSP will be finished in 2012," Singh told reporters.