EC asks BSP to list ‘covered’ statues built by party fund

The latest EC letter is in reply to Mishra’s January 15 letter raising 14 objections to the party in which he had stated that the BSP from its own expense had established statues of elephants in private-owned places. “In news channel report it was shown that statues of elephants even established at private places with private funds were also being covered. One such incident was even shown in one news channel on January 14,” Mishra wrote.

Mishra had also stated that the copy of actual order regarding covering of statues had never been communicated to BSP by anyone till January 15 and BSP had acquired knowledge of the directions from the newspaper and news channels,where it was stated that all the statues of elephants and Mayawati have to be covered.

In his reply,EC principal secretary wrote: “Since it was an administrative order meant to be implemented by the state government,the same was addressed to the chief secretary of UP with a copy marked to CEO,UP. The commission did not consider it necessary to forward the same to your party.”

Srivastava clarified that only such statues of Mayawati and elephant needed to be covered which had been erected at the cost of public exchequer at various public places.

Srivastava stated that other contentions made by Mishra did not stand. Mishra had drawn the attention of the EC towards the symbols of other political parties like Congress’ “hand”,RLD’s “hand pumps”,BJP’s “lotus”,etc. Mishra had requested the commission to reconsider its direction of covering the statues in the light of submissions made by him in the letter.