Continuing to target Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, Congress on Monday said it was an "outrageous reaction" from her on the non-availability of funds with the state government to implement the Right to Education Act.
Dubbing her as "Murtidevi" (Goddess of statues), party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said, "CM Murtidevi Mayawati has brushed aside her and the state government's responsibility for implementing Right to Education Act. This is an outrageous reaction from her".
He said the BSP government had money to spend on statues and memorials but not for funding the education of children.
Singhvi said in the year 2009-10, Rs 4,500 crore was set aside in the budget of the state for statues and memorials and a further Rs 67 crore for setting up a force for the protection of these memorials and statues.
"It reflects the thinking of Mayawati which is non-development, anti-people and anti-children," the spokesman said, adding "it was a negative mindset".
He said, for implementation of this Act, the Centre was committed to provide 55 per cent of the funds and the state government had to provide only 45 percent, which came to Rs 8,000 crore for UP.
He said the government perhaps feared that knowledge will be imparted to the children and her party would suffer if the children grow up and become empowered.
"Perhaps it suits her that UP remains illiterate. There are other avenues of politics. Do not bring it in the domain of children's education," Singhvi remarked.
Mayawati on Saturday addressed a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh saying it would not be possible for the state administration to fund implementation of the Right to Education and asked the Centre to give money for the scheme.
She accused the Centre of overlooking practical aspects of implementing the Right to Education Act by not arranging money for its implementation.
Singhvi was further critical of the UP CM saying the state lagged behind the national average in literacy, children drop outs from school, maternal mortality, infant mortality and other parameters.
Yesterday, Congress leader Kapil Sibal slammed Mayawati for her comment, saying no other chief minister had raised such an issue. PTI
