Mayawati hits back at opposition on statue issue

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati today hit back at opposition parties criticising the BSP supremo for installing her own statues, saying law does not prevent anyone from erecting statues of living persons.    "From all those people criticising installation of my statues, I would like to ask that in which book of law it is written that statues of living persons can not be erected," Mayawati said while addressing a rally to celebrate party's silver jubilee.She claimed her statues were being installed as per then written will of the BSP founder Kanshiram.     "Kanshiramji in his will has directed to install my statues along with those of him," she said.     The BSP chief also flayed the the opposition parties demanding withdrawal of elephant as BSP's election symbol on the ground that its statues were installed at a large number of memorials and parks."BSP's election symbol elephant's trunk is pointing towards ground, whereas statues of those installed in parks and memorials are in welcome posture with trunks pointing towards sky," she explained.     She said similar statues were already installed at various temples and religious places in the country and were part of the culture."If this is the ground, then election symbol of SP and Congress should also be forfeited," she demanded.Mayawati said her government had distributed lakhs of cycles under Savitribai Phule scheme and people wave their hands as a welcome gesture."Both of these things are symbol of SP and Congress," she said.     BSP was forced to install statues of Dalit icons as they were not given due honour by any other government or political party, she said."Various governments installed statues of their leaders in parks and memorials and launched a number of scheme, but when this is done by BSP they term it misuse of government coffers," she lamented.