In an unexpected incident, Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi expressed shock over cash found at his Rajya Sabha seat, which he deemed a political ploy. Singhvi, who briefly attended the House, welcomed an investigation into the matter while emphasizing the need for better security measures. Concerns arose over MPs’ names being disclosed amidst ongoing political tensions and parliamentary disruptions.
New Delhi: In a surprising turn of events, Congress MP and Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi expressed astonishment over the discovery of a wad of cash found on his seat in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. Addressing the matter, Singhvi dismissed the issue as a bizarre political maneuver and clarified that he had only been present in the House for a brief period on the day the cash was found.
Speaking to ANI, Singhvi detailed his movements on Thursday, stating,
“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.”
He expressed disbelief over the politicization of the incident, adding that such matters should not be used for political games.
Singhvi also welcomed the probe ordered by Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar into the matter. The discovery was made during a routine anti-sabotage check conducted by security officials after the House was adjourned. Dhankhar informed the house that a wad of currency notes was found on seat number 222, which is currently allotted to Singhvi, the Congress leader from Telangana.
“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.”
Dhankhar assured the House that an investigation was underway.
Commenting further on the situation, Singhvi raised concerns over the security measures within the Parliament. He suggested that MPs should have a lockable seat with keys that they can carry home to prevent such incidents.
“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.”
He also stated that if there was a security lapse, it should be fully exposed, and all parties should cooperate in getting to the bottom of the incident.
Singhvi’s remarks came after a heated exchange inside the House. Congress President and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, questioned the naming of the MP in the ongoing investigation. Kharge pointed out that if the matter was under investigation, the MP’s name should not have been disclosed.
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“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,”
he said, expressing his disapproval of the BJP’s handling of the issue.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju also weighed in, denying that anyone would carry bundles of notes inside the House. The controversy comes amid a tumultuous winter session of Parliament, which began on November 25 and has seen frequent disruptions. The winter session is set to continue until December 20.
As the investigation unfolds, Singhvi’s stance highlights the growing concerns over security protocols in Parliament and the potential for political manipulation in sensitive matters. The public and political response to this unusual incident will likely shape further discussions on parliamentary transparency and accountability.
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