Controversy Erupts Over Cash Found at Congress MP's Rajya Sabha Seat: Parliamentary Reactions

New Delhi, Dec 6 (NationPress) The Rajya Sabha was thrown into disarray on Friday morning after a bundle of currency notes was reportedly found at seat number 222, which belongs to Abhishek Manu Singhvi, the Congress MP from Telangana.

The uproar began when House chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar announced that a wad of cash was "recovered from seat 222, presently allotted to Abhishek Manu Singhvi" during a routine anti-sabotage security check before the Rajya Sabha's closing hours on December 5.

In response, Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi called for a comprehensive investigation into the matter. He also indicated that during the 33 minutes he spent in Parliament on Thursday, most of that time was spent in the canteen with SP MP Awadesh Prasad.

In a surprising turn, the SP MP outright rejected Singhvi's assertion that they had lunch together, stating, "Yesterday, I did not have lunch in Parliament. I ate my lunch at home and then came here. I sit in the Lok Sabha, not the Rajya Sabha. Nothing of this sort happened. I did not have lunch with him."

A number of Parliamentarians expressed their shock over the incident, urging for a detailed inquiry into the discovery.

BJP MP Ravi Kishan commented, "This is a criminal offence and a matter that requires investigation. In the country's largest Panchayat (Parliament), bundles of cash were discovered. Why were they in the House? What was their purpose? Everything has been captured on camera; the truth will soon come to light."

BJP lawmaker Manoj Tiwari also expressed his astonishment at the find, stating, "I am deeply shocked. The Parliament is the temple of democracy, and such a large amount of money is neither required nor appropriate there. Bundles of cash have been discovered from a Congress leader. When we leave our seats, they are checked. Even if I forgot something, like I did forget my phone, I was immediately informed."

"In Jharkhand, too, a large amount of money was found at the house of a Congress leader. The extent of Congress's black money is immeasurable," he added.

Rajya Sabha MP Kartikey Sharma stated, "This is a very unfortunate incident that occurred in Parliament. Such a bundle of cash was found, and no one has claimed it. A thorough investigation should be conducted. This is a serious matter of concern as it sends the wrong message to the public and the youth."

BJP RS MP Sudhanshu Trivedi also commented, "As the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha began, an inappropriate incident occurred where a bundle of cash was discovered with a Congress leader. No one came forward to claim it, which shows that they are so wealthy they don't even care to retrieve the money. The Congress party must answer for this."

BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari remarked, "The Congress Party is the origin of corruption. They hold the Constitution in their hands, but they carry black money in their pockets."

"The Congress Party must answer for this. Are these bundles of cash part of a money trail? Has the Congress Party panicked? If this matter is investigated to its roots, more might be revealed," he added.

In response to the incident, BJP leader Dinesh Sharma stated, "If such an incident occurs and cash bundles are found, it should be discussed openly. However, to hide the truth, the opposition resorts to shouting and disrupting the proceedings daily. This negative behaviour characterizes the INDIA bloc, which seems aimless and consistently hinders productive discussions in the House."

Meanwhile, Congress lawmakers have vehemently protested against the revelation of Singhvi's name in the cash controversy. Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, strongly objected to the 'inappropriate and scandalous' move of naming Singhvi in the case, stating that this should have been done only after a complete investigation.

Congress MP Imran Masood, addressing reporters outside the Parliament, questioned the government's motives behind making his name public before the investigation was completed.