The Chief of Bahujan Samaj Party Mayawati has called spending of  Rs 52.20 on statues of herself and her party symbol elephant at various public places in Uttar Pradesh during her tenure as the Chief Minister as “will of the people”. The Supreme Court had asked her to reimburse the money spent on statues and now the former CM of the state has filed an affidavit in the apex court saying the memorials and statues of herself and others are  “intended to promote values and ideals of various sants, gurus, social reformers and leaders among the public and not intended to promote the symbol of BSP or to glorify” her.

She also said in the affidavit that the statues were constructed “as the will of the state legislature to represent the will of the people”. Earlier the court had made an oral observation that Mayawati should reimburse the exchequer’s money spent on constructing statues. Mayawati on Saturday justified installation of statues in many parts of Uttar Pradesh and said that 'it was the will of the people.'

also read Shiv Sena Insulted Jain religion: Milind Deora

In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court after the top court had come down hard on her, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said that the statues were installed because it was the will of the people. The Supreme Court had previously said that prima facie, she would need to pay back as she had used public money for installation of statues depicting herself and those of elephants. Hearing a plea seeking direction to restrain her from spending public money on statues, the Supreme Court on February 8 had rapped Mayawati for the expenditure on the statues.

also read Asaduddin Owaisi slammed PM Narendra Modi asking Godse is terrorist or not