Uttar Pradesh Government's controversial project of installing statues of Chief Minister Mayawati on Monday came under the scrutiny of the Supreme Court which sought an explanation from it for allegedly spending crores of rupees from the state exchequer.

The apex court issued show cause notice to the state government and Chief Minister after noting several allegations in a public interest litiattion (PIL) including that 90 per cent of the budget of the Uttar Pradesh Cultural department was used for installation of the statues of Mayawati, Bahujan Samaj Party founder Kanshi Ram and party symbol elephant.

"Notice to show-cause why the petition should not be admitted," a vacation bench comprising Justices Dalveer Bhandari and A K Ganguly said and sought reply within four weeks from the Uttar Pradesh Government, Mayawati, BSP and Election Commission which are named as respondents in the PIL filed by Supreme Court advocate Ravi Kant.

Kant alleged that the total money used by Mayawati from the state budget for 2008-09 and 2009-10 for such projects was to the tune of Rs.2,000 crore to "falsely glorify" the Chief Minister.

No sooner the order was issued, Mayawati's close aide and senior advocate Satish Chandra Mishra voiced his protest but the Bench said whatever he has to say he can to do it by way of reply to the notice.

Mishra, who resisted the issuance of notice, alleged that "it is a politically interest litigation filed at the behest of others (political rivals)" noting that even before the petition came up for hearing, the petitioners had gone before the media.

... contd.