The Uttar Pradesh government project of installing statues of Chief Minister Mayawati today came under the scrutiny of the Supreme Court which sought an explanation from it within four weeks after a public interest litigation alleged that crores had been spent from the state exchequer on the statues.

The vacation bench of Justices Dalveer Bhandari and A K Ganguly issued show cause notice to the state government and the Chief Minister on a PIL filed by advocate Ravi Kant.

Kant alleged that state money to the tune of Rs 2,000 crore was used for installation of statues of Mayawati, BSP founder Kanshi Ram and the party elephant symbol to “falsely glorify” the CM.

Mayawati aide and advocate Satish Chandra Mishra voiced his protest but the bench said whatever he had to say could be said in the reply to the notice.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has described as “shameful” the installation of her own statues by Mayawati.