Click to play videoNew Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati is facing flak for organising a costly foundation day function for her even as Bareilly continues to remain under curfew.
The issue of the BSP foundation day function generated a lot of heat in Parliament with the Opposition demanding that the Centre act against the UP Chief Minister.
But Mayawati remained unfazed as she made her grand entrance in a helicopter, dressed in pink and not blue.
She blamed the Opposition particularly the Congress for ignoring the contributions made by Dalit leaders.
"I want to ask the Congress, when they have spent crores and crores on naming memorials on the Gandhi-Nehru family, did they forget about the welfare of the poor," said Mayawati while addressing the massive rally at Lucknow's Ramabai Ambedkar ground.
"Money spent by the BSP on memorials is less than even one per cent of the state's budget. Had they honoured great leaders of the backward communities, the need for the BSP to do it later wouldn't have risen," she added.
Lucknow, where the BSP foundation day function is being organised, has been painted blue for BSP founder Kanshi Ram's birth anniversary.
An estimated 25 lakh people are attending the rally. BSP workers have been put up in air-conditioned guest houses.
The entire police force of Lucknow as well as the Railway police has been roped in to control crowds.
The state health department too is on its toes. Over 50 doctors and ambulances are on standby.
Over 10 lakh LED lights are being used and a thousand quintals of marigolds and Birds of Paradise have been used to decorate the venue of the rally.
The BSP has also set up stalls where people can buy party merchandise, including framed pictures of Mayawati, Kanshi Ram, BSP goggles and mobile covers.
Opposition parties have claimed that Mayawati government has spent Rs 200 crore on the extravaganza and claim the Chief Minister is misusing the state administration.
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