The Supreme Court has come down heavily on the Uttar Pradesh government regarding the construction of the statutes of Mayawati and  Kanshi Ram on government sites. The Mayawati government on Tuesday undertook to immediately stop all construction of public memorials in Lucknow. The Supreme Court has directed that this undertaking also apply in respect of the petitions pending before the Allahabad High Court.

The petition was originally filed before the Allahabad High Court in October 2007. The High Court stayed the demolition of public buildings, and the matter went on appeal to the Supreme Court. In May 2008, the Supreme Court vacated the stay, but later re-imposed the order on demolition of all existing buildings after February 27, 2009.

When it was pointed out by the petitioner that there had been a rash of demolitions just before the 2009 stay was passed, the Court gave a dressing down to the UP government, and threatened to initiate contempt proceedings against the government.

The Mayawati government was represented by Senior Counsel, Satish Chandra Mishra, who is an aide and close personal friend of Mayawati. Senior Counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi appeared on behalf of the applicants, NGO Gomti Nagar Jan Kalyan Maha Samiti. Abhishek Manu Singhvi is also the spokesperson for the Congress Government at the Centre. The estimated cost of the memorial-building project is a whopping Rs. 2,600 crores, in a state that has a GDP of 2%, as the court pointed out.