HAS UNION Cabinet got the power to decide stalling concrete memorials and statues of living and departed leaders of Nehru family together with those of party-symbol of Congress, by destroying greenery around India Gate and Rajpath? Yes, if decision of Uttar Pradesh cabinet to destroy environment at Noida by replacing greenery with a massive concrete memorial with statues of living Mayawati and her other favourite leaders at enormous cost from public-exchequer that too despite aggressive protests from residents there, is justified.

If Supreme Court has no right to interfere in such anti-public and anti-environment decisions of political rulers, then it is for President of India Dr Manmohan Singh to immediately summon her government to issue an ordinance to allow installing of statues only with consent of Opposition Leader that too by banning statues of living personalities. Any such government-decision will have massive public support. Otherwise, the day is not far when some political ruler may even decide to replace Red Fort in Delhi with a new concrete project of his/her choice! Even Mughal emperor Shahjahan had to be over-powered by none other than his own son Aurangzeb when Shahjahan went upon emptying royal treasury and burdening public with heavy taxes to have another ‘black’ Taajmahal!