Maya`s `money` garland disrupts LS, IT to probe

New Delhi, Mar 16 (PTI) The huge garland that Mayawati
wore at a public rally caused the disruption of the Lok Sabha
Tuesday even as the estimated value of the currency notes of
which it was made varied from Rs 21 lakhs to Rs 15 crore.
The Income Tax department also stepped in and decided to
probe the source of the money for the garland of Rs 1,000
notes presented to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister at her 'maha
rally in Lucknow, capital of India's northern state of Uttar
Pradesh Monday.
The department will probe the funding and ownership of
currency notes, sources said.
The Bahujan Samaj Party(BSP) supremo came under sharp
attack inside and outside Parliament after the "multi crore"
currency garland triggered an outrage fuelling demands by
Opposition for a central probe into the source of money.
As Mayawati's rally to mark the Bahujan Samaj Party's
(BSP) silver jubilee rocked the Lok Sabha (Lower House of
Indian Parliament) which had to adjourned for the day several
hours ahead of schedule, Congress said the Centre should look
into the "organised loot" in Uttar Pradesh.
The Samajwadi party, which also backed Congress' demand
for a central probe, has already demanded a CBI inquiry.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also backed the demand for a
probe.
After the BSP supremo came in the eye of a fresh
controversy, Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh wryly said
Mayawati is "no more a Dalit ke beti but Daulat ke beti"(no
more a daughter of Dalit but a moneyed daughter), referring to
the garland of 1,000 rupee currency notes presented to her.
"Mayawati is no longer the woman representing the common
man. She is playing in lakhs and crores (of rupees)," he said.
"We appeal to the government to take cognizance of
Mayawati's rally and the garland presented to her. It should
be inquired into," he added.
BJP's Rajnath Singh said the state machinery has been
misused by the ruling BSP for the lavish celebrations and it
should be looked into.
Going on the defensive, BSP general secretary Naseemuddin
Siddiqui rejected speculation that value of the notes in the
garland ran into crores of rupees, saying it the money
totalled only "Rs 21 lakhs".
"The talk of crores of rupees is not true," he said,
adding that the garland was presented by Lucknow district BSP
unit by contributing small amounts of money. The garland is in
the custody of Mayawati, he said.
In the Lok Sabha, the SP and Congress members created
ruckus since noon, forcing two adjournments till 2 PM. When
similar scenes were witnessed again, Deputy Speaker Karia
Munda adjourned the House for recess till April 12.
In the din after the Zeor Hour, Congress and SP members
were heard saying the garland was estimated to be worth
between Rs 10 crore and Rs 15 crore.
Coming to the defence of Mayawati, BSP MP Vijay Bahadur
Singh said, "If I garland you then what is your mistake in it?
People are ready to even sacrifice their lives for Mayawati,
so what can we do about this? This is their dedication towards
their leader," he said. PTI