The Supreme Court dismissed a petition against former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati over alleged misuse of public funds for life-size statues of herself, Kanshi Ram, and elephants. The case, dating back to 2009, claimed misuse of Rs 52.20 crore. The decision coincides with Mayawati’s 69th birthday, closing a decade-long matter.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday (Jan 15th) dismissed a long-pending petition against former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati for allegedly using public funds to build life-size statues of herself, her mentor Kanshi Ram, and elephants—her party, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)’s symbol.
The decision comes on a significant day for Mayawati, as she celebrates her 69th birthday.
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The case dates back to 2009 and challenged the construction of these statues in parks across Lucknow and Noida during Mayawati’s tenure as Chief Minister from 2007 to 2012. The petitioner alleged that public money, amounting to crores of rupees, was wasted on these projects, accusing Mayawati of “self-obsession and megalomania.”
The petition claimed that around Rs 52.20 crore was spent on installing 60 elephant statues, an act it argued was contrary to directions issued by the Election Commission. It also alleged that the spending amounted to “personal glorification” by erecting life-size statues of Mayawati and Kanshi Ram.
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At the time, Mayawati defended the statues, asserting that the elephant designs were “mere architectural elements” and not representative of her party’s symbol. She further argued that proper budgetary provisions had been made for these memorials.
The four-time Chief Minister also emphasized that the memorials were built to inspire people and reflect the “will of the people.”
The Supreme Court bench noted that the matter had been pending for far too long and decided to dispose of the case. “The matter is too old,” observed the bench, effectively closing the case that had been in limbo for over a decade.
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