Lucknow:
After a four-foot statue of Mayawati was vandalized in Lucknow, chief minister Akhilesh Yadav ordered his government departments to find another statue of his political rival and install it at the same location -the Ambedkar Park in Lucknow, set up by Mayawati during her term as chief minister as tribute to Dalit leaders including herself. A replica was located by last evening - it was intended for the Kanshi Ram Green Eco Garden but had never been housed there -and will now be installed in place of the damaged statue.
M Yadav's gesture was seen as a mature one- not just because he moved quickly to placate Mayawati's party workers and ensure that a tense situation did not spin out of control, but also because his action suggested a courtesy rare in the state's rough-and-tough politics.
However, the favour has not been returned. This morning, a delegation of Mayawati's party met the Governor BJL Joshi. Its leader, Swami Prasad Maurya, accused Mr Yadav's government of orchestrating yesterday's attack on Mayawati's statue. He said armed guards must be posted to protect the memorials created by Mayawati. He also said the decapitation of the statue - its arms were also chopped off - reflects lawlessness in the state and that President's rule must be imposed.
A group that calls itself the UP Navnirman Sena has taken responsibility for the damage to the statue. Three people have been arrested.
Earlier this year, Mayawati was voted out of power amid allegations of deeply-entrenched corruption within her administration. Uttar Pradesh picked as its new leader 39-year-old Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party. Mr Yadav's father, Mulayam, has for decades shared a hostile relationship with Mayawati and her BSP. When Mr Yadav took over as chief minister, he said the massive statues Mayawati had put up in Noida and Lucknow would not be removed.