PIL seeks covering of statues of Nehru, Indira and Rajiv

A Public Interest Litigation was today filed in the Allahabad High Court seeking directions for covering of statues of former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi across Uttar Pradesh till assembly elections were over in the state.

The PIL, filed by Allahabad-based organization "Adivasi Samajotthan Evam Kalyan Samiti" through its president R K Maurya, comes barely a fortnight after the Election Commission had ordered covering of statues of UP Chief Minister Mayawati as well as those of elephant - the election symbol of ruling Bahujan Samaj Party.

The petitioner has contended public money had been spent for constructing the statues installed by Congress in various parts of the state and hence they should be covered to prevent the party from "deriving political mileage".

The EC has stated in its January 7 order that it wanted the covering of statues of elephants and Mayawati in order to preventing BSP from "deriving political mileage". In the PIL, a prayer has also been made that Congress party workers be restrained from carrying the national tricolour during election campaign.

The PIL is likely to come up for hearing on January 25.