Mayawati’s statues are not the problem

Mayawati’s statues are not the problem

On Friday, February 8, the Supreme Court suggested that former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Mayawati, should reimburse to the public exchequer the money she spent on assorted statues — including of herself. We beg to differ. This was obiter dicta, and a final verdict awaits the hearing scheduled for April 2. To build statues or to carry out demonetisation is a right that the people devolve on a leader when she is elected to political office. Corruption in conduct is open to judicial scrutiny, but the soundness of policy is ultimately for the people of the country to judge.

The Supreme Court possibly referred to a location in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, with statuary of elephants, Kanshi Ram, founder of Mayawati’s party Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), and Mayawati herself. Plus, images of Bhimrao Ambedkar, the first dalit to win a doctorate: in economics, from Columbia and London. Ambedkar, lest we forget, was one of the architects of India’s Constitution, whose principles and laws, courts and judges are sworn to uphold. The Supreme Court might also have targeted Gomti Nagar, Lucknow, whose statuary is Narayana Guru, Jyotirao Phule, Birsa Munda and other pan-India pioneers of our break from inhuman caste shackles.

Two elected state governments have held office after Mayawati demitted office in 2012. Neither has sought to demolish the statues. Probably because the sentiments that the statues embody resonate with a large enough number of Indians for politicians, practical people, to tread carefully.

The Supreme Court, surely, does not want to drag itself into a caste-bias controversy, accused of clamping down on Mayawati’s statues, while ignoring other statues that have cost thousands of crore.