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Mayawati’s memorials take centre stage ahead of Lok Sabha polls
BSP, SP say ED raids politically motivated, BJP says no government intervention.
Dalit memorials constructed by Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati in Lucknow and Noida between 2007 and 2012 have taken centre stage before the crucial Lok Sabha elections after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday raided seven locations in Lucknow in connection with the alleged irregularities in the construction of memorials.
The ED, which is probing into irregularities to the tune of Rs 1,400-crore, has tightened noose around the ‘memorial men’ of the BSP government, including politicians and officers, who were assigned the construction work.
Under Mayawati government, four memorials – Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Sthal, Manyavar Kanshi Ram Smarak Sthal, Buddha Vihar Shanti Upvan and Manyavar Kanshi Ram Green Eco Garden – were constructed in Lucknow while two memorials – Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal and Green Garden – were constructed in Noida.
Terming the raids an act of political vendetta, BSP national general secretary Ramachal Rajbhar said, “The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government is using its agencies and machinery to malign the image of the BSP leadership. The BJP leaders are jittery after our pre-poll alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP).”
“Six years have passed since the construction of memorials but raids are being conducted before the Lok Sabha election to misguide the people and harass party leaders,” he added.
Rejecting the allegations, UP BJP spokesman Chandramohan said: “The BJP government is not involved in the probe or raids. The probe was ordered by the SP government in 2012. The Lokayukta had recommended lodging of FIR against BSP ministers and officers involved in the irregularities. The vigilance department lodged an FIR against BSP ministers and bureaucrats when the SP was in power.”
He said both the BSP and the SP governments indulged in corruption while Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath had zero tolerance towards corruption.
“The BSP government stands exposed over siphoning of money released for the construction of memorials in the name of dalit icons. ED is doing its work without any interference from the government,” he claimed.
SP leader and MP from Badaun Lok Sabha seat Dharmendra Yadav said the central government was targeting the alliance leaders after SP president Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati announced their alliance on January 12.
“The people are aware of the facts that the BSP government had constructed memorials to highlight the legacy of dalit icons and their contribution to society. The BJP has no respect for dalit and backward icons,” he said.
The construction of dalit memorials, considered to be the dream project of Mayawati, started at Lucknow and Noida after the BSP came to power in 2007.
Construction works at Lucknow and Noida continued till the notification of UP assembly elections in late 2011.
Funds from various state government departments were allegedly diverted for construction of memorials. A whopping Rs 4,148.54 crore was spent on the construction of memorials.
In September 2012, the Akhilesh Yadav government asked the lokayukta to look into the scam and directed the economic offences wing (EOW) to assist the lokyaukta.
After completing the probe, the lokayukta recommended lodging of FIRs against Mayawati’s ministers Naseemuddin Siddiqui and Babu Singh Kushwaha, and 19 bureaucrats and engineers for allegedly siphoning off Rs 1,410 crore public money for the construction of dalit memorials.
Though no action was recommended against Mayawati, senior BSP leaders who handled the project came under the lokayukta’s scanner.
The lokayukta had also indicted two former legislators Sharda Prasad and Anil Kumar Maurya, sitting MLA Ramesh Chandra Dubey and 199 officials of various departments that supervised work on these projects.
Later, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in its report tabled in the state assembly in July 2014 had indicted the BSP government stating that the original outlay of five dalit memorials was raised from Rs 943.73 crore to Rs 4,558 crore.
Alleging irregularities in the construction of memorials, the ED said the state government did not constitute high-level committee to supervise and monitor construction work.
An ED officer said, “In August 2014, the agency had registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in the construction of memorials as it resulted in huge losses to the exchequer and unlawful gain to public servants and private individuals.”
