New Delhi, 6 Dec

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day on Friday with BJP members creating an uproar over the alleged recovery of a wad of currency notes by security staff from the seat allotted to Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

As soon as the House resumed in the afternoon to take up private members' business, BJP MPs raised slogans demanding answers from the Congress over the recovery of currency notes in the House on Thursday.

Deputy Chairman Harivansh, who was in Chair, tried to pacify agitated members of treasury benches, saying this is members' business day and they should sit down and allow the House to function.

In the meantime, he asked IUML MP Abdul Wahab to move his resolution listed under his name on the agenda. While Wahab was reading out his resolution, the ruling party members continued raising slogans standing on their feet.

When they refused to relent, the deputy chairman adjourned the House for the day to meet again on Monday morning.

The currency was recovered from seat number 222, which is allotted to Singhvi.

Earlier in the day, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said security staff had recovered a wad of Rs 500 notes from the seat allotted to Singhvi which led to an uproar in the House with ruling and opposition benches trading allegations and angry words. The chairman said the wad has Rs 500 notes and there appeared 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 (on Thursday), 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 am 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 controversy spiralled, Singhvi said it was bizarre that politics were being raised on issues such as this and clarified that he carries only one Rs 500 note when he comes to the Rajya Sabha. "I reached inside house at 1257 pm yesterday and house rose at 1 pm; then I sat in canteen till 130 pm with Sh Ayodhya Rami Reddy then I left parliament," he said in a post on X.

Inside the House, the issue led to a massive row.