BSP sacks partyman; can't shut up garland row

New Delhi: The Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) has sacked BSP spokesperson from Karnataka, Y N Sarma, over the multicrore garland controversy surrounding BSP supremo Mayawati. The decision on Sharma has been taken for speaking to CNN-IBN’s India At 9 on Monday regarding the cash garland. He is the first casualty in the latest controversy that has hit Mayawati.

"I have not gone beyond my limit. I was the only person who reacted to media. I defended the matter in favour of the party," he said.

Sharma had told CNN-IBN that the garland presented to Mayawati was made with flowers and not cash. Now, the BSP is openly saying that it was made entirely of cash.

BSP member and state PWD Minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui told reporters said, "Wherever she goes, she will henceforth be greeted with garland of notes and not with garland of flowers."

"Joh Behenji se tak raayega woh mitti mein mil jaayega" (whoever challenges Mayawati will be doomed), he said.

Meanwhile, the Congress, BJP and Samajwadi Party have also demanded a CBI probe.

AICC General Secretary in-charge of UP, Digvijay Singh said Mayawati is "no more a Dalit ke beti but Daulat ke beti (she is not the daughter of a Dalit, but daughter of wealth)." He said Congress does not subscribe to this brazen display of wealth and will oppose this "terrible" corruption. "This is a vulgar display of money in politics. This is not good for any political party or a political leader," added Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said.

Ahmed said Indian tradition and political decorum do not permit such vulgar display of money and muscle power. "She is displaying both," he said.

While accusing Mayawati of violating basic democratic norms by accepting currency garlands, BJP also taunted Congress, saying it if was serious in its criticism of the BSP chief, then it should refuse the support extended by her to

the UPA.

"On the one hand the state Government has said it has no money to pay as compensation to the next of kin of those killed in a stampede at Kripalu Maharaj's ashram, and on the other several crores are being spent to organise rallies to mark BSP's 25 years," BJP chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad told reportersin Delhi.

"Today once again Mayawati received a garland with currency worth Rs 18 lakh and said she would continue to receive such gifts. This is a violation of basic norms of democracy... If she really cares for the Dalits, then the

money should be spent on their education, health and development," he said.

Following the foot steps of Saddam Hussein, Mayawati has become the only living leader with her "life size statues" installed at various places, he said.