BSP says SC observation on statues misinterpreted

A day after Supreme Court lambasted the Uttar Pradesh government on the statue issue, the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party said on Tuesday the apex court was only making "observations" which has been misinterpreted and that it had not given any "verdict."

The BSP also attacked the opposition parties for allegedly making an out of context references on the Court directions restraining construction works at all the sites of memorials and said it amounted to criminal contempt of the court. It also chided the media for its reportage of the court proceedings. "It would have been better if the media had gone through the judgement before reporting on the issue because certain observations made by the court during the course of arguments have

been portrayed as if they were part of the verdict," said Satish Chandra Misra, a senior BSP leader and UP government's counsel in the apex court.

"The court raised several queries during the course of proceedings to get a reply from different parties and court's obserations cannot be construed as its verdict," he said. Taking a strong exception to the opposition's reaction on the court's verdict and comments directed at Chief Minister Mayawati, Misra said it amounted to criminal contempt and defamation and warned that the government would take appropriate action against such political leaders. The BSP leader was critical of the oppostion parties giving statements in a matter, which was sub-judice saying that it was aimed at prejudicing the court.