Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Friday termed the recovery of currency notes from a seat allotted to party colleague Abhishek Manu Singhvi in the Rajya Sabha as a ‘diversionary tactic’ by the Bharatiya Janata Party to distract the public and stall discussions on important issues in Parliament.

“This is a diversionary tactic to distract from the issues we are raising. We have raised the farmers’ issue and the Chairman 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,” ANI quoted Jairam Ramesh as saying.

The Congress leader also alleged that the BJP is attempting to disrupt Parliament proceedings by raising slogans and preventing discussions from taking place.

“I am seeing for the first time how suddenly the BJP in Parliament is so eager to raise slogans. Usually, it is us who raise slogans, but now they are doing it. They want to stall the winter session of Parliament, and this is their plan,” added Ramesh.

He supported Union health minister JP Nadda’s call for an investigation into the origin of the currency notes, saying that the truth would come to light 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),” the Congress MP said.

Earlier today, Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar informed the House that security officials had found a wad of cash on a seat allotted to Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

“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,” said Dhankhar.

In response to the Rajya Sabha Chairman’s statement, Singhvi expressed astonishment and described the politicisation of such issues as “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 ₹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,” ANI quoted sources as saying.