Allahabad: A Public Interest Litigation was
on Saturday filed in the Allahabad High Court seeking directions for
covering of statues of former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal
Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi across Uttar Pradesh
till assembly elections were over in the state.
The PIL, filed by Allahabad-based organization "Adivasi
Samajotthan Evam Kalyan Samiti" through its president RK
Maurya, comes barely a fortnight after the Election Commission
had ordered covering of statues of UP Chief Minister Mayawati
as well as those of elephant - the election symbol of ruling
Bahujan Samaj Party.
The petitioner has contended public money had been spent
for constructing the statues installed by Congress in various
parts of the state and hence they should be covered to prevent
the party from "deriving political mileage".
The EC has stated in its January 7 order that it wanted
the covering of statues of elephants and Mayawati in order to
preventing BSP from "deriving political mileage".
In the PIL, a prayer has also been made that Congress
party workers be restrained from carrying the national
tricolour during election campaign.
The PIL is likely to come up for hearing on January 25.
PTI
