Cash recovered from Singhvi’s seat leads to verbal volleys in RS

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday said security staff had recovered a wad of Rs 500 notes from the seat allotted to Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi, leading to an uproar in the House with ruling and Opposition benches trading allegations and heated exchanges.

As controversy spiralled, Singhvi said it was bizarre that politics were being raised on issues such as this and clarified that he carries only one Rs 500 note when he goes to the Rajya Sabha. “I reached inside the house at 12:57 pm today and House rose at 1 pm; then I sat in the canteen till 1:30 pm with Ayodhya Rami Reddy then I left Parl!” he said in a post on X.

Inside the House, the issue led to a massive row.

While Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge said the chairman should not have named the member without an investigation being completed, Leader of the House JP Nadda accused the Opposition of showing eagerness on “some issues” while wanting to cover up other issues

The currency was recovered from seat 222, which is allotted to Singhvi, during a routine anti-sabotage check on Thursday, Dhankhar said in the House. The chairman said the wad has Rs 500 notes and there appears to be 100 notes.

An investigation has been ordered in accordance with practice, Dhankhar said, adding that it was not clear if the currency notes were

real or fake.

“After adjournment of the House yesterday, a wad of currency notes was apparently recovered by security officials from seat no 222 presently allotted to Abhishek Manu Singhvi, elected from the state of Telangana,” he said.

“It was my duty and I’m obliged to inform the House. This is a routine anti-sabotage check which takes place,” he said. Dhankhar added that he was expecting someone would claim the currency notes, but no one has so far.

“Does it reflect the state of the economy that people can afford to forget it,” he said.

As ruckus broke out, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju asked: “Why should there be an objection to the name being taken? Chairman has pointed out the seat number and the member who occupies that. What is the problem with that?”

He said carrying bundles of notes in the House is not appropriate and agreed that there should be serious investigation into the matter.

Dhankhar added that the anti-sabotage check was done in view of the security challenges.

“I have been careful that anti-sabotage checks must be very severe because in these highly technological situations where chemicals are used, the first and foremost is security... From that perspective it was done,” he said.

According to Nadda, the matter was serious and the Opposition and treasury benches should not be divided as it is an attack on the dignity of the House.