New Delhi:
Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi today came out strongly against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, asking if the election symbols of political parties or statues of its leaders should not be covered just because they were "big in size and spectacular".
Talking tough, Mr Quraishi said that Ms Mayawati should think before criticising the EC order to cover her statues and the Bahujan Samaj Party's poll symbol, the elephant, in government parks.
"She is a senior leader. What can I say? She should think before making such comments," Mr Quraishi told reporters here when asked about Mayawati's criticism on the EC order.
Mr Quraishi said that such comments should not be made because other political parties may also demand raising pedestals in government parks for displaying their poll symbols.
"What reply can we give then," he asked.
The CEC said that the poll authority creates a level playing field for all political parties when elections are declared.
"We also ask to remove photographs of Chief Ministers, the Prime Minister and ruling party leaders in government offices. We ask the photos to be covered if they cannot be removed," he pointed out.
Mayawati had dubbed the Election Commission decision as "one-sided" and an insult to party founder Kanshiram.