A heated discussion took place in the Rajya Sabha on Friday when Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar informed the House that a wad of cash was found on a seat belonging to Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi by security officials.
“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,” Mr Dhankhar said.
”The matter was brought to my notice, and I made sure an investigation takes place and the same is underway,” Dhankhar said.
Congress president and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge was up on his feet to defend his party colleague, who was not present in the House. He said, ”The Chair should not have named the Member if the matter was under investigation.”
He said, “I am not going beyond that, I know that you will not allow us. You said that this matter is under investigation then his/her name should not have been taken. I request that until the investigation is done and the authenticity of the incident is established, a member should not be named. ”
He further asked, ”Can he do like this? ‘Aaisa chillar kaam karte hai aur desh ko barbaad kar rahe hai yeh log (BJP)(They are doing petty things, destroying the nation).”
Responding, Dhankar said, “The Leader of the Opposition has said one thing that when the matter is under investigation he should not be making a debate on it. I would really appreciate it, and this may be followed. Number two, in responding to the LoP I was extremely concerned and therefore I might myself assert whether the member has really attended the House. I could not go more than that.”
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that no one carries note bundles in the House.
He said, “As per the routine protocol, the anti-sabotage team checked the seats just to wind up the proceedings and the House. During that procedure, the note was found and the seat numbers were deciphered and the members also signed that day.”
Rijiju said he does not understand why there should be an objection that ”the Chair should not take the name of the member”.
”The Chairman has rightly pointed out the seat number and the member who occupies that particular seat number. What is wrong with that? Why should there be an objection?…Don’t you think that while we are going towards digital India, carrying a bundle of notes in the House is appropriate? We don’t carry note bundles in the House. I fully agree with the observation of the Chairman that there must be a serious investigation and the concerns raised by the members are also very genuine,” Rijiju said.
Making an intervention, Union Minister JP Nadda said, “This incident is of serious nature. It hurts the dignity of the House. Sir, I have faith in your ruling that a detailed investigation will be conducted.”
LoP Kharge said that his party was not averse to an investigation.
Kharge said, “JP Nadda (BJP president) is saying that we are trying to suppress the matter. But that is your (BJP’s) quality,” Kharge said, adding that when the Chairman is investigating the matter, there is no need to debate on it on the floor of the House.
Union Minister Piyush Goyal intervened, saying that ”This is a very serious matter because today bundles of currency notes have been found. Who knows what else might emerge tomorrow? Over multiple sessions, we have repeatedly witnessed how the opposition, including the Leader of the Opposition and their unethical alliance partners, have obstructed the functioning of the House, misled the public, and relied on foreign narratives and reports to create fake narratives, fake news, and baseless allegations…”
In response to the RS Chairman’s statement, outside the House, Congress’ Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that he was “astonished” to hear this, adding that if there is a failure in the security agencies that must also be completely exposed.
“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.,” he said.
He stressed that ”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 was 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 failure in the security agencies that must also be completely exposed.”
In Parliament premises, Opposition lawmakers including Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra held a protest over the Adani matter. They wore masks symbolising their protest over the Adani issue which mentioned, “Modi Adani, Bhai Bhai.” Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were also seen holding a copy of the Constitution in their hand.