By IANS,
Noida : With rose petals, prayers and thousands of people looking on, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati Friday inaugurated a Rs.684 crore park dedicated to the Dalit cause in this satellite town adjoining the national capital.With statues of 24 elephants, the symbol of her Bahujan Samaj Party, and of Dalit icons B.R. Ambedkar and Kanshi Ram and of herself, the 82-acre Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal and Green Garden has been a subject of massive controversy.
Thousands of people had gathered since morning to watch Mayawati inaugurate the park on the outskirts of New Delhi, with many political observers saying that it was a move aimed at the assembly elections next year.
Unmindful of the criticism that she has received for the park with some describing ut as monumental folly, Mayawati touched down in a helicopter at 4.50 p.m. in Film City in Noida.
As TV cameras captured the moment, a beaming Mayawati went around the premises. Buddhist monks chanted prayers. Unusually, her parents Ramrati and father Prabhu Dass were with her.
Traffic in and around Noida came to a standstill. Police officials said they had a tough time in controlling the surging crowds.