Supreme Court considers asking Mayawati to repay public money used for erecting statues of herself, elephants

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday said it was of the tentative view that Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati has to deposit public money used for erecting statues of herself and elephants, the party’s symbol, at parks in Lucknow and Noida to the state exchequer. [caption id=“attachment_4405817” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of BSP chief Mayawati. PTI[/caption] The remarks were made by a bench hearing a petition filed by an advocate who had contended that public money cannot be utilised for creating own statues and for propagating the political party. “We are of the tentative view that Mayawati has to deposit the public money spent on her statues and party symbol to the state exchequer,” a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said. The bench, also comprising Justice Deepak Gupta and Sanjeev Khanna, posted the matter for final hearing on 2 April. The bench made it clear the tentative view was expressed by it, as the matter will take some time for hearing. “We will have it for final disposal on 2 April,” the bench said.