Citing Ambedkar,her love for law,Maya opens coffers

Addressing a gathering on the premises of Dr B R Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Sthal,Mayawati said her government has left behind other governments,including Central governments,in honouring Baba Saheb. “Baba Saheb was an expert on law. I was impressed by him and have done law graduation also,” she told the gathering.

In February,lawyers were lathicharged by the police when they had tried to march towards the Chief Minister’s residence to handover her a memorandum demanding allocation of funds in the state budget for their welfare schemes. The state’s main Opposition Samajwadi Party (SP) had tried to make it an issue by claiming the previous Mulayam Singh government had allocated funds for lawyers’ welfare schemes.

Mayawati claimed the previous government had tried to mislead the lawyers by making announcement for funds without making budgetary allocation for the same.

She said the state government has decided to provide Rs 60 crore to the board of trustees meant for lawyers. The funds would be used for the welfare schemes like insurance protection,pension for the widows of lawyers,library facilities and construction of their chambers.

Regarding Rs 500 crore fund for construction of a new building of Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High court,she said it is the state’s share and added the Centre has so far not given its share for the purpose.

In another development,the CM also announced the decision to engage government lawyers for fighting the cases filed by BPL families and cases of those who are covered under the Uttar Pradesh Mukhya Mantri Mahamaya Arthik Garib Yojana.

She clarified the beneficiaries would get such benefits only in those cases in which the state government is not an opposite party. The government lawyers would not charge any fee for this.

On the occasion,the CM also highlighted the contribution made by Baba Saheb in the empowerment of the weaker section of the society by making special provisions for them in the Indian Constitution.