The Hindu : Sonia plea to PM on U.P. land issue

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Sep 19, 2002

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Sonia plea to PM on U.P. land issue

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI SEPT. 18. The Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, has sought the intervention of the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, in ensuring that the land allotted to the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan project in Lucknow is not taken over by the Uttar Pradesh Government.

Urging Mr. Vajpayee to prevail over the Chief Minister, Mayawati, to reverse the decision to cancel the allotment for expanding the Ambedkar Park, Ms. Gandhi was, however, careful to put on record the fact that the Congress had no objection to the establishment of a "fitting memorial" to B.R. Ambedkar.

In her letter, Ms. Gandhi said the land had long ago been earmarked and duly allotted for the project and developed by the Lucknow Development Authority. "The suo moto and uncalled for cancellation of this allotment by the Chief Minister has been ostensibly done for the purpose of expanding the Ambedkar Park."

The Congress would be the last to object to any move to establish a memorial to Ambedkar. But "to do so at the cost of an institution in the name of Indira Gandhi that has already been announced and cleared, is patently unfair and reflects prejudice'', Ms. Gandhi said.

Describing the move by Ms. Mayawati as an insult to the former Prime Minister's memory, she said: "Indira Gandhi has not only been the Prime Minister of the country, her role as a national leader continues to be cherished and respected by millions of Indians".

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