Country's First F1 Racing Track Formula for Disaster: Mulayam's Party

Faisal Fareed
Daijiworld Media Network - Lucknow

Lucknow, Oct 19: While celebrations are yet to set in the country on getting its first Formula One Racing Track in Noida of Uttar Pradesh, Mulayam Singh Yadav's Samajwadi Party (SP) has questioned its necessity in a debt-ridden state. The party also questioned the freebies as tax rebate doled out to the main sponsor JP group by the state government. Going a step further, the party also threatened to probe the fund laundering by means of Formula One Racing Track after assuming power in the state.

"What is the need of such a racing track? It is a game for the rich and our state is not so rich to afford luxuries for them at the cost of our farmers. The poor farmer is struggling to get one bag of fertiliser while the rich are going to enjoy racing," said state spokesperson Rajendra Choudhary.

The SP leader also questioned the freebies dished out to the main sponsor company Jaypee Group. As per their allegations the group has been given tax rebate as entertainment tax, sales tax, Value Added Tax, Luxury Tax, Trade Tax etc. "It is a cruel joke on the poverty of the state. The state exchequer is being spent on these nonsense things," he said. Choudhary even demanded a CBI enquiry into the whole bargain.

The SP leader also alleged that Chief Minister (CM) Mayawati has shares in the Jaypee group and it should be investigated as to why she is so kind towards a particular corporate house. "Nearly 875 acres of land was acquired by the government for the racing track. The group is expected to earn Rs 150 crores from sale of tickets. Still it is being showered with largesse by the state government," he added.

He also alleged that earlier the state owned sugar mills were sold away at throwaway prices to Ponty Chadha group causing loss to the state exchequer. "All these incidents will be probed and the culprits will be sent to jail after assuming power," he said.

The state which will be going to polls in 2012 has witnessed several dream projects of CM Mayawati. Monuments, parks, memorials including statues of Mayawati have come up in Lucknow and Noida at the cost of several thousand crores. The spending spree and magnamity of CM Mayawati on these memorials has invited wrath of opposition parties and provided them ammunition to attack the government.