Mayawati attracts controversy over a huge currency garland

Lucknow, March 15 (ANI): The giant garland, used to honour Bahujan Samaj Party President Mayawati by her supporters during the party's silver jubilee celebrations on Monday led to a new controversy, as it was alleged to be made of Rs.1,000 Indian currency notes.

The controversy, highlighted by various media channels in the evening, gained ground when Congress party questioned the source of where the money had come.

While the BSP's arch rival Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh demanded an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the matter.

"It's a scandalous show of money power," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari was quoted by a private channel as saying.

"It's the same CM who says the State doesn't have funds to compensate the Pratapgarh stampede victims," Tewari added.

In the evening, Samajwadi Party alleged that there were thousands of Rs. 1000 notes used in garland and also demanded an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the matter.

Opposition parties, earlier in the day, also raised eyebrows over the alleged Rs. 200 crores spent on the organization of the BSP rally on Monday besides questioning how could the Uttar Pradesh CM could hold a rally in an area that was under curfew.

Later V.N.Sharma of the BSP admitted that the garland was a gift of all BSP state Presidents to the party president after initially his party rubbishing the allegations.

Mayawati's rally also came in for criticism by the Bharatiya Janata Party.

"The extravagance of the BSP has been questioned by even the Supreme Court," said Rajiv Pratap Rudi of the Bharatiya Janata Party. (ANI)