Statue cover-up: 'EC should object to SP cycle, BJP lotus'

The Bahujan Samaj Party on Thursday claimed that the Election Commission's decision to cover statues of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati and her party symbol elephant is one-sided and unjustified and a violation of Article 14 of the Constitution.

BSP General Secretary Satish Chandra Mishra said that due to the decision taken on the memoranda of the Samajwadi Party, the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party, Dalits and backward classes were feeling cheated.

"The decision is a 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.

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

The BSP had expected that the EC would hold free and fair elections but its decision had demoralised the party, Mishra said.

"The statues installed in parks and memorials are in a welcoming position with trunks in the air unlike the BSP symbol and so did not violate the model code of conduct," he claimed adding that statues of the elephant are installed in a number of temples and government buildings in others states too.

Mishra said, "Even in the Rastrapati Bhavan, North and South Blocks, elephant statues are there on the upper parts of the pillars and also above the Speaker's chair in Parliament".

If the EC has an objection to "our elephant", it should also object to the SP symbol, the BJP's lotus and the Rashtriya Lok Dal's hand pump.

"The hand pump is installed everywhere on the government's expense. Also, the EC should take note of statues of former presidents and leaders of other parties," he said.

He said that the statues of Mayawati, who is a "Dalit ki beti" and a four-time CM and the BSP symbol elephant did not affect voters in any way.

"The EC should re-consider its decision, which is one-sided so that the BSP candidates get equal opportunities in the assembly polls," he said.

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