Singhvi seeks probe into RS notes incident, says enclosures needed to prevent planting 'ganja'

New Delhi: Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi Friday termed the "recovery" of cash from his seat in the Rajya Sabha "bizarre" and demanded a probe into what he described as a "security lapse".

He also suggested that glass enclosures should be made to prevent anyone from planting "ganja" on seats in an MP's absence.

Underscoring that indulging in politics on every issue "shows our system in bad light", the Congress MP said everything in the House should not lead to "cheap tactics", allegations and counter-allegations which "demeans our level".

Singhvi said either barbed wire should be put around every seat or a glass enclosure be made to ensure that MPs locked their seat before going home to prevent anyone from planting "ganja" or currency notes there in their absence.

Soon after Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar announced that a wad of currency notes was recovered from Singhvi's seat on Thursday, the Congress MP said he only carries one Rs 500 currency note when inside Parliament.

"Heard of it first time now. Never heard of it till now! I carry one Rs 500 note when I go to Rajya Sabha. First time heard of it. I reached inside the House at 12:57 pm and the House rose at 1 pm. Then I sat in canteen till 1:30 pm then I left Parliament," Singh said in a post on X soon after the charges cropped up.

"My total stay in the House yesterday was for three minutes and in Parliament for 30 minutes. I find it bizarre that even such issues are made political. Of course, there should be an enquiry as to how people can come and put anything anywhere on any seat," Singhvi later told reporters.

The Congress MP said he was quite astonished to even hear about it about five minutes ago.

"Of course there should be an inquiry as to how people can come and put anything anywhere on any seat. It means that each one must have a seat which can be locked and the key can be carried home by the member of Parliament. Because everybody can do things on the seat and then make allegations about it," he said.

"If it was not tragic and serious it would be comic. Everyone should cooperate to get to the bottom of this. And, if there is a failing on the part of security agencies, that must also be completely exposed," Singhvi said.

Soon after the laying of papers, Dhankhar said a wad of currency notes was recovered by security staff from the seat allotted to Singhvi.