Lucknow, May 17 (IANS) On the occasion of Buddha Purnima Tuesday, the Uttar Pradesh government has splashed in media Chief Minister Mayawati's achievements in developing Buddhist pilgrimage sites and propagating the message of Lord Buddha.
The Uttar Pradesh government has released a full-page advertisement, bearing the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party's characteristic blue hue, in 150 newspapers across the length and breadth of the country, detailing whatever Mayawati has done during her tenure to spread the message of Buddha.
"Uttar Pradesh: the cradle of Buddhism, A glimpse of initiatives taken by Hon'ble Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Ms. Mayawati Ji, during the span of her regime so far to propagate the humanistic message of Tathagat Gautam Buddha and develop and beautify the 'Buddhist circuit and other important Buddhist historical places in the state", goes the headline with the advertisement, which is ostensibly meant to greet people on the occasion.
The message makes it a point to convey how Buddha had spent a major part of his life in Uttar Pradesh and the list of schemes, programmes named after him by the present chief minister. Yet another column lists out the new districts and tourist spots created by Mayawati to commemorate Lord Buddha.
Buddha Purnima is one of the eight occasions when the Mayawati government released such advertisements in some 150 dailies across the country.
Besides this, almost similar advertisements about her government's achievements are also issued on the same scale on Mayawati's own birthday on Jan 15, BSP founder and her mentor Kanshi Ram's birth anniversary on March 15, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar's birth anniversary on April 14, Kanshi Ram's death anniversary on Oct 9, Ambedkar's death anniversary on Dec 6, and on May 13 to mark the installation of Mayawati government on its own strength in 2007.
This eight-day blitzkrieg has cost the state exchequer about Rs.64 crore over the past four years. Nearly the same amount had also been spent on publicity through giant-sized hoardings, with long details of her achievements.