India minister Mayawati police squad for statues

A plan for a special police force to protect statues of an Indian politician and her mentors has been approved in India's Uttar Pradesh state. Chief Minister Mayawati proposed the squad because she feared her political opponents might demolish the statues. Uttar Pradesh's state assembly passed the bill proposing the security force on Thursday. Ms Mayawati has been criticised for spending $1bn (£0.6bn) on monuments of herself and other low-caste leaders. She remains popular among India's 160 million low-caste Dalits, formerly known as "untouchables" - but critics accuse her of self-glorification and wasting public money in what is one of India's poorest states. The initial cost of raising the force is estimated to be 540m rupees ($11.6m; £7.1m). Yearly maintenance would cost 140m rupees ($3m; £1.8m)... Bbc