New Delhi: Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar 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 angry words.
While Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge said the chairman should not have named the member without an investigation being completed, Leader of the House J P 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 an anti-sabotage check Thursday, Dhankhar said.
“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.”
An investigation has been ordered in accordance with practice, he said, adding that it was not clear if the currency notes were real or fake.
The chairman said the wad has Rs 500 notes and there appear to be 100 notes.
“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.
Taking a jibe at opposition members, he said, “On some issues you show eagerness, while you want to cover-up other issues.”
Kharge objected and retorted, “Why is Mr Nadda saying we are trying to suppress the matter… You do that, we don’t do that.”
Union Minister Piyush Goyal also said it is a serious issue. “… we don’t know what else may be found on that side,” he said.
Without taking any names, Goyal accused the opposition of stalling Parliament over ‘fake narratives”.
“We have been seeing session after session, on fake narratives, fake views… the Leader of Opposition and the leaders of the immoral alliance have stalled the House,” Goyal said.
“They base their narrative on foreign reports, and stall the House. Is there a conspiracy in this as well? People will have to worry about the kind of give and take that happens to forward the fake narrative,” he said.
Dhankhar then observed that while the Leader of Opposition has objected to a matter under investigation being debated, Goyal has suggested it should be made a general rule.
Nadda then suggested that the House should pass a resolution saying the proceedings of the House should never be disrupted.
PTI
