Unfazed by criticism, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati cocked a snook at the Congress and the Samajwadi Party, once again accepting a garland made of currency notes, worth Rs. 18 lakh, at her party meeting here on Wednesday.
In fact, Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party national secretary Naseemuddin Siddiqui said, party workers were determined to present currency garlands to Ms. Mayawati at all future programmes also.
On Monday, the BSP supremo was presented with a jumbo garland made of Rs.1000 notes by party workers at the BSP silver jubilee rally in the State capital. The currency value was variously estimated at between Rs. 21 lakh and Rs. 21 crore.
Condemning her acceptance of the gift, the Opposition parties accused her of a “vulgar display of money power.”
Manifestation of anger
At Wednesday's meeting of BSP Ministers, MPs and office-bearers, convened by Ms. Mayawati to take stock of the situation following the rally and to devise a strategy to tackle the Opposition onslaught, Mr. Siddiqui said: “The party has not taken kindly to the Opposition propaganda on the garland presented to the BSP supremo on March 15. The presentation of another garland on Wednesday was a manifestation of the party workers' anger towards the Opposition parties and reiteration of their loyalty to the Chief Minister.”
The currency notes which formed the garland presented on Wednesday were contributed by party workers from 18 divisions in Uttar Pradesh, he said.
State BSP president Swami Prasad Maurya, condemning the Opposition criticism, said the BSP was a national party which filed income tax returns.
Addressing the office-bearers, Ms. Mayawati said parda farsh rallies would be staged in all district headquarters in the State on March 25, to “expose the Opposition conspiracy.” She would attend the rally in a district of her choice.
On April 14, protests would be held in all district headquarters in the country against the Women's Reservation Bill.
Demonstrations would be held against price rise on June 22.
Correction
In the above report the term “parda farsh rallies” should have been “ parda faash”. “ Parda farsh” roughly means “curtain floor” and has no meaning. “ Parda faash” means “open the curtain” or “reveal”.
