- News>
- India
Wad Of Cash Under Abhishek Singhvi`s Seat? Dhankar`s Claims Spark Row In Rajya Sabha
Reacting to the claims made by the Rajya Sabha chairman, Singhvi dubbed them `bizarre,` saying that he was astonished to hear about it.
Parliament Winter Session: Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar on Friday claimed that a wad of Rs 500 currency notes was recovered in the chamber of the Upper House near the seat of Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi.
Elaborating on his claims, Dhankar said, "I hereby inform the members that during the routine anti-sabotage check of the chamber after the adjournment of the House yesterday, apparently, a wad of currency notes was recovered by the security officials from seat number 222, which is presently allotted to Abhishek Manu Singhvi, elected from the state of Telangana. The matter was brought to my notice, and I made sure an investigation takes place, and the same is underway."
Reacting to the claims made by the Rajya Sabha chairman, Singhvi dubbed them “bizarre,” saying that he was astonished to hear about it. Giving an account of his stay in the Upper House, the Congress MP said that he reached inside Parliament at 12:57 PM and left by 1:30 PM.
"I am quite astonished to even hear about it. I never heard of it. I reached the inside of the House yesterday at 12:57 pm. The House rose at 1 pm. From 1 to 1:30 pm, I sat with Ayodhya Prasad in the canteen and had lunch. At 1:30 pm, I left Parliament. So my total stay in the House yesterday was 3 minutes, and my stay in the canteen was 30 minutes. I find it bizarre that even on such issues politics is raised,” Singhvi said.
“Of course there must be an inquiry as to how people can come and put anything anywhere in any seat. It means that each of us must have a seat where the seat itself can be locked and the key can be carried home by the MP because everybody can then do things on the seat and make allegations about this. If it were not tragic and serious, it would be comical. I think everybody should cooperate in getting to the bottom of this, and if there is a failing in the security agencies, that must also be completely exposed," he added.
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day due to uproar by the BJP members demanding a reply on the alleged recovery of the wad of currency notes. As soon as the House resumed in the afternoon to take up private members' business, the BJP members started raising slogans demanding a reply on the currency issue.
(With agencies inputs)