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Rajya Sabha erupts over currency notes found in seat of Congress MP; Singhvi calls it ‘bizarre’

Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday said security staff had recovered a wad of ₹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.

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day after Deputy Chairman Harivansh tried to pacify agitated members of treasury benches.

Singhvi said it was bizarre that politics were being raised on issues such as this and clarified that he carries only one ₹500 note when he goes to the Rajya Sabha. “I reached inside house at 12.57 p.m. yesterday and house rose at 1 p.m.; then I sat in canteen till 1.30 p.m. with Ayodhya Rami Reddy then I left parliament,” he said in a post on X. Inside the House, the issue led to a massive row.

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 Mr. Singhvi, during a routine anti-sabotage check on Thursday, Dhankhar said in the House.

The chairman said the wad has ₹500 denomination notes and there appear to be 100 notes.

An investigation has been ordered in accordance with practice, Dhankhar said, adding that it was not clear if the currency notes were real or fake. “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,” he said.

“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.