STATUES ? :::Jago India Jago ::Why not it be this 15th August

Why do we raise memorials ? No doubt a simple answer could be to pay homage to those who made extreme sacrifices and contributions for the Nation and let the coming generations take inspiration from them. Then why to object the projects conceived by BSP supremo ? Why has been so much of opposition to the plans and projects conceived by Mayawati , is a question that need be answered/ asked ?

One reason that could be seen is in likely political challenges that Mayawati can throw on other political polities as savior of the down treaded Indian people who surely form more than half the number of Indian vote bank.. She is ofcourse the savior of BSP, rather "Nehru of BSP". The most affected political opponent ofcourse could be Indian National Congress. I would say Congress since so far only savior of Indian people made known to poor and backward Indian masses has been Congress. Rajiv Gandhi Barsi observed as anti terrorist day ( why not killing of Lal Jagat Nayan or General Vaidya killing day as anti terrorist day ?),

The long term welfare programmes and schemes drawn out by GOI and state governments over last 6 decades have been mostly in the names of leaders who belonged to Congress party. These could be seen mega "memorials".To be more specific , the projects have been mostly in the name of Indira Gandhi, Jawahar Lal Nehru and Rajiv Gandhi. Recent addition has been Bandra Worli Rajeev Setu. Even Subash Chander Bose, MK Gandhi, Maulana Azad, Chander Shekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Lala Laj Pat Rai, Mangal Pande, Vir Savarkar, Chattrapati Shiva Jee, Tipu Sultan, B.G.D. Tilak, G.k. Gokhlae , Bhim Rao Ambedkar, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad have not found a place as prominent as has been given to even Rajiv Gandhi. This has been giving political advantage to the Congress Party and that to Indira Gandhi family. Congress goodwill is totally dependent on Nehru parivaar. Even the foundation stone at the railway ticket booking counter for patients in AIMS Complex Delhi mentions that it was laid on the birthday of Late Sh. Rajiv Gandhi. Now ha also been alleged that Congress is planning to name NREGA in the name of some Congress leader or giving it such name that other political party workers may not be able draw political advantage out of NAREGA where ever non Congress governments are there.

So often some issues are aired in the guise of social or national cause. But behind the scene it could be seen that there are some localized political or commercial motives. One of such recently aired issues is construction of memorials of some Indian leaders who have been particularly owned by Bahujan Samaj Party. Although I do not approve the terminology used to name the class of such leaders but to make the subject understandable in common terms I would say Dalit leaders like Bhim Rao Ambedkar , Kanshi Ram, Mayawati. The BSP "BEHAN JEE " has remained in news and in controversies over her proposals and plans to construct memorials and statues of some Dalit leaders or those who have been named as patrons of the "low caste" Indian community. There have been many memorials launched in the name of political leaders as physical structures/ institutions or high recurring cost national welfare schemes out of the public funds. But never has there been so much of cry as has been there to oppose Mayawati.

The supreme Court of India on 10 JULY refused to restrain UP Government from carrying out work for the installation of statues of CM Mayawati and other dalit leaders at a park in NOIDA saying that it can not interfere in the matter where approval has been given by the State Cabinet. UP Government proposes to install a number of statues of BSP / Dalit leaders including Kanshi ram and Mayawati in a gigantic 4 Km along River Jamuna in NOIDA. SC had earlier on 28 June noted that 90 % of the UP State Cultural Department Budget was spent on installation of the statues of Kr Mayawati, BSP founder Kanshi Ram and Elephants ( party symbol). A PIL filed by advocate Ravi Kant alleged that Rs.2000 crores had been used from 2008-09 and 2009-10 Budgets to falsely glorify Mayawati. Mayawati´s Advocate Satish Chandra Mishra pleaded that PIL was got filed in political interests. Mishra making a reference to Teen Murti Bhawan said that there land itself was worth over Rs.500 Crs

Some of Government welfare programmes are like " high cost recurring cost memorials" . Examples could be Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidhyutikaran Yojana (Electrification of un-electrified Below Poverty Line households at 100% subsidy @ Rs.1500/- per connection in all rural habitations, "Indira Awaas Yojna (2001 Census places rural housing shortage at 148 lakhs and it is envisaged to construct 60 lakh houses over 2006-2010 ) . On ,20 August 2003 Sonia Gandhi distributed residential quarters to the safai karamcharis of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi at her New residence, on 10 Janpath, on the occasion of late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi´s birth anniversary (although the houses had been allotted on hire-purchase basis under ´Doctor Ambedkar Awaas Yojna ), revised and modified scheme ''Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme,'' launched on November 19,2007 (as per Pranab Mukherjee ( FM) in Feb 2009 146 lakh (BPL) households had been benefited ), Rajiv Gandhi National Creche Scheme for Children of Working Mothers, Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (Rs 3443 Cr in 2008-09), Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (Union Government proposes to spend Rs 50,000 Cr over seven years Rs 10447.98 Cr in 2008-09 and 10713.84 Cr in 2009-10), Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission (Ministry of Rural Development, Annual plan 2007-08 was Rs.6,400 crore , plan 2008-09 was Rs.7,300 crore , 2009-10 Rs.7400 Crore), Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme –( Budgetary allocation in 2008-09 is Rs. 3,443 crore and the like of ,Rajiv Gandhi Rehabilitation Package for Tsunami Affected Areas, Govt. of Tamil Nadu, Budgetary Allocation Rs.2347.19 crores). In defence it can not be argued that these are not statues and money is used for welfare. But the question is that here too ( like statues ) the name is carried on the scheme or the buildings to the political advantage of Congress only. And to add to these there are many State Government Programmes (50), Universities and Educational Institutions (96), Ports and Airports (6), Awards, Scholarships and Fellowships (64), Sports Tournaments, Trophies and Stadia ( 45), National Parks and Sanctuaries (13), Hospitals and Medical Institutions (37), National Scientific and Research Institutions, Chairs and festivals (35), Roads, Buildings and Places (72), and the like in the name of Nehru family executed from STATE finances. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati is accused of being busy ensuring her presence felt in her state--with lavish memorials of Dalit icons. As many as 15 memorials, including one of herself, were inaugurated in Lucknow on 9 July09. .Mayawati justified her memorials saying that "It's because of the wish of (BSP founder) late Kanshi Ram who had desired that a statue of his political successor should be installed beside his". According to the Lucknow Development Authority, the statues of Mayawati and Kanshi Ram at various places in Lucknow cost Rs 6.68 crore. The marble elephants at Ambedkar Memorial cost Rs 52 crore , an amount of Rs 90 crore was allocated for the beautification of Kanshi Ram Park and the budget of the UP culture department shows that in 2008- 2009 it spent about Rs 194 crore for the construction of statues of leaders . Mayawati rejects allegations saying that money has been used for constructing parks, museums, and memorials dedicated to Dalits ( installation of 60 statues of elephants — the election symbol of the BSP being erected at the cost of Rs. Rs 52.20 crore – does not fit with in her argument). As per the information provided by LDA 24 foot high statues of Mayawati and Kanshiram are installed at Pratibimb in Bhimrao Ambedkar Samajaik Parivartan Stahl (Ambedkar Memorial), Gomti Nagar. Some argue that money spent on statues and memorials could be spent on roads, buildings, schools etc to benefit common man. This argument could be disposed of reasoning that the money spent on the memorials and statues too goes to the common working class in the form of labour. Exemplary memorials like Ambedkar park could draw the tourists / visitors to the benefit of the locals. More so in old times also during famines or other hours of need kings used to get constructed monuments or forts to provide labour to their citizens. In fact it is not the money being spent on the memorials and statues proposed by Mayawati that is a cause of worry for the protestors but, it is the name of leaders other than Nehru / Indira / Rajiv getting known to the poor common masses that is the cause of worry for the politicians on the other side of the fence. Any when will the common man rise as a king maker in a democracy like India. Why not it be this 15th August.*( Daya Sagar is a Sr Coloumnist on Kashmir affairs and a social activist dayasagr@yahoo.co.uk