Given a chance, I will bulldoze the statues: Mulayam Singh

Opposition parties today attacked Mayawati for rushing ahead with unveiling statues and parks without waiting for Supreme Court decision on the issue with her arch rival Mulayam Singh Yadav saying given a chance he would bulldoze all the structures.

In Delhi, Congress leader Digvijay Singh said there is "huge corruption" in the supply of stones and the building of these structures and demanded a thorough probe.

Mayawati had unveiled 15 statues, which included that of BSP founder late Kanshi Ram and her own, and parks at a hurriedly-organised function here last night, nine days ahead of July three-the scheduled date.

In Lucknow, the Samajwadi Party chief said given a chance, he will bulldoze the statues and memorials erected by the Mayawati government. "Bulldozers will be used somewhere," he said on being asked by reporters whether he will run bulldozers if the SP comes back to power.

Lashing out at Mayawati, Yadav said that the state government has let loose a reign of terror in the state. "A sense of insecurity has gripped the UP government, as it thinks its days are numbered."

A public interest litigation (PIL) against the UP government on the issue is slated to come up before the Supreme Court on June 29.

Mayawati's move is being seen by the Opposition as an attempt to pre-empt the Supreme Court from putting a hold on these projects and also a bid to upstage the SP chief who planned to hold a protest on July 3.

Yadav said Mayawati lacks courage to face the public. "She is scared. Her government has been shaken. She wants to rule surreptitiously. She knows that her government is on its way out".

"Today, UP is reeling under power cuts and water shortage. The amount spent on erecting statues and memorials could have been easily utilised in any educational or health scheme."

Alleging corruption, Digvijay Singh said, "where are the stones used in these buildings coming from, which mine is it coming from, who owns the mine, these are the things which are to be inquired into.

"Money of people is being wasted. People will not forgive her. She has seen the result in Lok Sabha elections earlier... BSP will be finished in 2012," he said.

"My own information is that there is huge corruption in these buildings and the supply of stone," he added.

Samajwadi Party, which had announced that it would observe July 3 as 'shok divas' (day for mourning), today held demonstrations before the statues of Mayawati and Kanshi Ram at Prerna Sthal. 

In Delhi, law and justice minister M Veerappa Moily downplayed Mayawati's action.

"She is the chief minister of UP and she is equally accountable to the people. People have the right to demand as to why you (Mayawati) are doing this," he said.