A claim made by Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar on Friday regarding the recovery of a wad of Rs 500 currency notes from the chamber of the Upper House near the seat of Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi has sparked a political controversy, with Singhvi strongly refuting the allegations and demanding a thorough inquiry.
Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar, in a statement to the members, revealed that during the routine anti-sabotage check of the chamber after the adjournment of the House the previous day, security officials had recovered a wad of currency notes from seat number 222, which was reportedly allocated to Abhishek Manu Singhvi, a member of the Congress party elected from Telangana. Dhankar emphasized that the matter had been brought to his attention and assured the members that an investigation was already underway.
“As per the routine procedure, after the adjournment of the House yesterday, a security check was carried out. It was during this check that security personnel apparently discovered a wad of currency notes from seat number 222. This seat is currently allotted to Abhishek Manu Singhvi. Upon receiving the report, I instructed that an investigation take place, and it is ongoing,” Dhankar said in his statement, heightening the intrigue surrounding the incident.
Reacting to these claims, Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi categorically denied any involvement in the incident, calling the allegations “bizarre.” He expressed his astonishment and frustration over the situation, stating that he was entirely unaware of any such incident involving currency notes. In a detailed response, Singhvi recounted his movements inside the Parliament on the day in question, which further contradicted the claims made by Dhankar.
“I am quite astonished to even hear about this. I never heard of it until now. On the day in question, I reached Parliament at 12:57 PM, and the House adjourned at 1 PM. From 1 PM 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 only three minutes, and my time in the canteen was 30 minutes,” Singhvi stated. He called the entire incident “bizarre” and questioned the timing and nature of the allegations, noting that such accusations were being raised even in relation to what seemed like a non-issue.
While Singhvi dismissed the political nature of the allegations, he agreed that a proper investigation into the incident was necessary. He highlighted the need for a more robust security system in the Parliament to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.
“Of course, there must be an inquiry into how such an object could have been placed on any seat in the Rajya Sabha. This raises questions about the security measures in place. Each MP must have a seat that can be locked, with the key being securely kept with the respective Member of Parliament. This would ensure that nobody can place anything on a seat and create baseless allegations. If this were not tragic and serious, it would be comical. I believe everyone should cooperate to get to the bottom of this, and if there is a security failure, it should be exposed in its entirety,” Singhvi added, underscoring the importance of safeguarding the integrity of the Parliament.
The incident has sparked intense political debate, with many questioning whether the allegations were politically motivated. Critics argue that the timing of the claims raises suspicions, particularly given the ongoing political tensions and the nature of parliamentary politics. Supporters of Singhvi have voiced their concerns about the potential for political smear campaigns, stressing the need for transparency and fairness in such investigations.
On the other hand, Dhankar’s statement about the alleged recovery of currency notes near Singhvi’s seat has brought the focus back to security protocols and the overall functioning of Parliament. In the wake of the incident, several political analysts have called for a review of the security checks within the Parliament complex to ensure that no untoward incident occurs again.
The controversy surrounding the alleged recovery of currency notes near Abhishek Manu Singhvi’s seat in Rajya Sabha is continuing to unfold. While Singhvi has vehemently denied the allegations, calling them bizarre and politically motivated, the incident raises pertinent questions about security protocols in the Parliament.