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Cong MP attacks Maya for erecting own statues in UP Updated on Wednesday, April 21, 2010, 18:02 IST New Delhi: A Congress member in the Lok Sabha today took a dig at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, saying while she was busy erecting her own statues, symbols of dalit icons B R Ambedkar and Sant Ravi Dass were being destroyed in the state. Panna Lal Punia (Congress), who had served as Principal Secretary to Mayawati in her previous term, said that hands of statues of Ambedkar and Ravi Dass in Baltarganj area of Basti district were chopped off by some anti-social elements on April 18. He said during the Zero Hour that the incident had angered locals and they planned to stage a road-blockade agitation but were assured by the state administration that the guilty would be punished. "Sadly, no case has been registered yet nor has anybody been arrested," said Punia. He said it was alleged that police was not taking any action because of pressure from some quarters. Earlier also a statue of Ambedkar was broken in Gorakhpur on February 28 but there was no action till now in that case also, he said. "Ambedkar and Sant Ravi Dass were not only the Dalit messiah but were revolutionary leaders for the entire society. It is the responsibility of the state administration and entire society to ensure that due respect is given to them," Punia said. The Congress member said these developments were taking place in a state having a Dalit as Chief Minister. "It is not enough to put up your own statues, icons of Dalit society should also be respected," he said amid thumping of desks by Congress members in an obvious reference to Mayawati who is on a spree of erecting her own statues in the state. He said the Centre should direct the Mayawati government to ensure protection of statues of Dalit icons. Mangni Lal Mandal (JD-U) associated with Punia. PTI
