Flaying the Mayawati government's decision to dedicate schemes worth Rs 7000 crore to the Bahujan Samaj Party founder Kanshi Ram, Samajwadi Party on Wednesday questioned the late Dalit leader's contribution to Uttar Pradesh and termed it as an attempt to 'Kanshimarise' state capital Lucknow.
"What is Kanshi Ram's contribution to Uttar Pradesh or the country to announce so many schemes after him when the state is facing a serious financial crunch," senior SP leader Ashok Bajpai told media persons in Lucknow.
Addressing a rally in Lucknow on Tuesday, Mayawati announced a whopping Rs 7,000-crore in financial schemes dedicated to late Kanshi Ram.
"While the developmental works have come to a halt owing to resource crunch, the government is planning to spend such a huge amount on schemes after Kanshi Ram," he said.
"It is nothing but an attempt to re-christen Lucknow as Kanshi Ram Nagar," he alleged, adding that it was also 'misuse of the mandate.'
Bajpai also decried the chief minister for equating media with mafia and money in her speech, saying 'it is surprising that a party (BSP) whose very existence is based on money is cautioning its workers against money.'
Alleging that Tuesday's rally was state-sponsored, the SP leader claimed that official machinery was blatantly misused to bring the crowd from different parts of the state. He also alleged that the government had spent over Rs.100 crore on Tuesday's rally.
Bajpai also opposed any further division of Uttar Pradesh as advocated by Mayawati.
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