Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati came in for sharp criticism of State government as well as Centre for laying foundation stones even before giving final shape to projects or arranging the budget for the same.
``When Samajwadi Party government is on verge of it’s ouster, chief minister was making desperate attempt to lay foundation stone of as many projects as he can just to show that the state is moving fast on development path”, asserted Mayawati while alleging that all the projects are yet to take concrete shape or the financial support. She was reacting to foundation stone laying ceremony of Metro Rail in Kanpur by chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and central minister.
``Such move by the state and central government could be only termed as throwing mud in the eyes of the public”, she claimed while adding that even the inauguration of new `lok Bhawan’ building (Chief Minister’s new secretariat), was also done by Akhilesh Yadav even before the entire work could be completed. ``It only showed that both State as well as Centre were trying to get cheap publicity by fooling the people of this state”, she claimed.
According to Mayawati, during the last over four years of government in UP, Akhilesh just laid foundation stone but none of the projects could be completed. ``It is strange that when chief minister failed to get even a single project completed, he inaugurated many of them just to get his name put on the inauguration stone”, pointed former UP chief minister. She claimed that the project of starting Metro in lucknow was completed during her tenure as chief minister but Akhilesh put his name on foundation stone and now when even the first phase could not be completed, he was ready to inaugurate it just to once again put his name.
Reacting sharply to state government’s move of waiving of interest of Rs 680 crore pending against sugar mill owners, Mayawati said that the decision raised many questions about the intention of the government and also pointed towards much deeper conspiracy on part of government. ``It was matter of serious concern that the sugar mill owners were not clearing the dues of the farmers particularly of farmers in West UP but instead of ensuring payment to the cane growers, the government went to appease the mill owners by waiving off their interest amount”, charged Mayawati while alleging that the state government is also selling sugar mills.