Congress on Friday attacked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati over the state government's reported decision to raise a security force to protect monuments and memorials of Dalit leaders saying a private militia is being raised at the expense of tax payers.
"The UP Chief Minister is raising a security force not to protect human beings but statues....the action of the UP government makes it appear as if a private militia is being raised at the expense of tax payers," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari told reporters here. He said Mayawati's decision reminded one of the erstwhile 'feudal raj' and added that the move called for serious introspection by people of the state. Tewari said the decision came at a time when the state faced acute shortage of policemen.
He said the force was being raised to protect the same statues and monuments on whose construction the Supreme Court had put brakes. Tewari also took a dig at Mayawati for installing her own statues at a number of places in the state saying statues of living persons are not installed.
The UP government had yesterday tabled a bill in the state Assembly for raising a special force for providing security to the various memorials, statues and parks set up under the BSP government.
On Mayawati's demand for removal of Union Minister Sharad Pawar over the issue of price rise, Tewari said, "It will be better if she gives attention to solving problems of people and tightening her administration." PTI
