The Samajwadi Party (SP) government is set to revive party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadavs dream project of building a Jai Prakash Narayan International Centre and to construct a memorial for former Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur in Lucknow.
Mulayam raised the issue at the Lohia Vichar Sammelan being held at Lohia Park here Friday,to commemorate the 102nd birth anniversary of Ram Manohar Lohia.
During my previous regime,I had initiated the project in memory of great socialist Jai Prakash Narayan. It was stopped midway. The state government should revive it, said Mulayam,turning towards Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.
The previous SP government had in 2006 allotted Rs 17 crore for the project,including a statue of J P Narain,two auditoriums,a library and an art gallery,releasing Rs 2 crore immediately. Later the cost rose to Rs 22 crore,with the inclusion of a swimming pool and an indoor tennis court. However,the BSP regime shelved the project.
Seeking a memorial for Thakur,Mulayam said: I had been to Karpoorijis house in Bihar. It was just a thatched hut. I understand and know the harsh realities which he faced despite being a stalwart in the socialist movement. We should honour him and remember his teachings.
Mulayam also clarified that he wanted only these two projects. Dont construct anything in the name of some unknown persons, he said. Akhilesh promised that his government would not install statue of any living person.
The function was also addressed by Jail Minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiyya,who mentioned that he read about Lohia during his stint in prison.
Cong jumps gun on Mulayams remark
As Mulayam Singh Yadav urged the SP government to work with honesty and do charismatic work so that general people can feel the difference within six months,it was interpreted in some quarters as a suggestion that there would be mid-term polls within six months.
The Congress was quick to react,saying the possibility of this was as remote as the sky falling on our heads. There is obviously no guarantee that the sky may not fall on our heads or that (B S) Yeddyurappa will stop demanding the chief ministers chair. But the possibility of mid-term polls is as remote as that, party spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said in Delhi.