"Diversionary tactic": Jairam Ramesh on cash recovered from Abhishek Manu Singhvi's seat

New Delhi: Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Friday, called the recovery of currency notes on a seat allotted to Abhishek Manu Singhvi in Rajya Sabha as a "diversionary tactic" of the Bharatiya Janata Party to distract people and stall discussions on important issues in the Parliament.
"This is a diversionary tactic to distract from the issues we are raising. We have raised the farmers' issue, and the Chairman (of Rajya Sabha) himself has raised that issue. There are many other issues too, like the 'Modani' (Modi-Adani) scandal which we want to have a debate on. So to distract from all of that they have pulled up new issues," Ramesh told ANI.
The Congress General Secretary (in charge of communication) alleged that the BJP does not want to let the parliament proceed with discussions and is raising slogans.
"I am seeing for the first time how suddenly the BJP's Sansad is very excited to raise slogans. Usually, we raise slogans but now they are doing it and they wanted that the parliament session doesn't go forward, so this is their plan," he added.
He also agreed with Union Minister JP Nadda calling for an investigation into the origin of the currency notes, saying the truth will be revealed after the investigation.
"Union Minister Nadda has said that there should be a proper investigation, yes there should be. Any agency should investigate it. He also said that after investigation "doodh ka doodh aur paani ka paani ho jayega" (the truth shall be revealed)," he added.
Earlier today, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar informed the house that a wad of cash was found on a seat allotted to Abhishek Manu Singhvi by security officials.
"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, elected from the state of Telangana..The matter was brought to my notice, and I made sure an investigation takes place and the same is underway," Dhankhar said.
In response to the Rajya Sabha Chairman's statement, Singhvi expressed astonishment over the news and said that doing politics on such issues is "bizarre."
"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. I find it bizarre that even on such issues politics is raised," Singhvi said.
He also agreed with the demand to investigate the issue. "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 said.
Following the allegations, Congress party sources believed that currency notes recovered from the bench of party leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi was a "ploy to distract attention" from the Adani issue.
"If somebody is carrying Rs 50,000 in the pocket is not a crime. Congress leaders have met with Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhakhar and have requested to conduct an investigation into the matter by any agency or even form a JPC in it," the party sources said.