Mayawati justifies the construction of her statues in UP | Photo Credit: PTI

New Delhi: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati has disclosed the reason behind her decision to remain unmarried. In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, in response to a petition asking her to pay back the public money spent on constructing her statues in Uttar Pradesh, the BSP supremo said that she dedicated her whole life for the 'upliftment of the downtrodden' and 'for achieving this' she took a decision to remain unmarried.

"I dedicated my entire life for the upliftment of the downtrodden and for achieving this, I also took a decision to remain unmarried," she said. Mayawati further said that constructing her statues across the state was the will of the people.

"The will of the people was expressed by the state legislature with a proposal to install the statues... at the memorials to show their respect to contemporary woman Dalit leader who has decided to dedicate her life for the cause of underprivileged communities," Mayawati said.

"Certainly, I could not go against the decision of state legislators in installing my statue near the statues of Shri Kanshi Ram for whom the nation has raised the demand for conferring Bharat Ratna posthumously," she said in her affidavit.

The top court was hearing a petition which seeks reimbursement of public money spent on constructing statues at various places in Lucknow and Noida. In an earlier hearing on the matter, the Supreme Court had said that Mayawati should reimburse the public money spent on construction of the statues.

“We are of the tentative view that you should pay the public money from your pocket,” a bench led by Chief Justice of India had then said.

On March 20, Mayawati announced that she would not be contesting the Lok Sabha elections 2019. "Keeping in mind the current political situation I have decided not to contest the Lok Sabha elections," she had said in an announcement.