New Delhi, March 16: The Lok Sabha was in uproar today over a woman’s bill — Mayavati’s.

The garland of currency notes presented to her yesterday, and the tab of Rs 200 crore for the exchequer her rally allegedly ran up, had MPs demanding a House debate and a central probe.

Colourful monikers were hurled at the Uttar Pradesh chief minister. Congress, Samajwadi Party and BJP members scoffed at her as “Mala-Murti”, saying her politics was centred on wearing money garlands (mala) and building statues (murti).

Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh said the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief had turned a “daulat ki beti” (daughter of wealth) from a “Dalit ki beti” (daughter of Dalits).

The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the budget recess till April 12 after several disruptions. The House failed to transact any business other than Question Hour with MPs insistent on discussing the Lucknow rally that they said was an obscene waste of public money.

Treasury and Opposition benches demanded a central probe into the origin of the “multi-crore” garland of Rs 1,000 notes, which the Samajwadis claimed was worth Rs 10 crore. The government tried to pacify the MPs but they insisted the matter was of national importance and warranted a debate in the House.

The garland was offered to Mayavati by her party’s Karnataka unit at the BSP’s 25-year celebrations. MPs from Uttar Pradesh alleged the entire state machinery had been engaged to make the rally successful.

BSP members expressed surprise at the attack on their leader, claiming it wasn’t Mayavati’s fault that the garland was presented to her by party workers.

Party general secretary Naseemuddin Siddiqui said the garland was worth only Rs 21 lakh, and had been made out of small contributions from BSP workers. He said it was in Mayavati’s custody.

Although the government did not hint at any plan to probe the matter, the Congress has taken the matter very seriously.

Party spokesman Manish Tiwari told reporters: “What kind of a government is there in UP? Bareilly is burning (in sectarian clashes) and the government is celebrating in Lucknow. She (Mayavati) has no money for drought-affected farmers but can splurge on statues; she has no money for stampede victims but will waste money on rallies.”

He alleged a “deliberate ploy to foment communal trouble in Bareilly”, saying it helped both the BSP and the BJP. He demanded an inquiry into the riots by a high court judge.