CD row: Abhishek Manu Singhvi quits, Opposition demands explanation

New Delhi: In a dramatic turn of events ahead of Parliament session that begins on Tuesday, Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Monday quit his official posts following the CD controversy. He quit as the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Justice and also as the Congress spokesperson.

Sources say the BJP is likely to raise the issue in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday and Singhvi is also likely to make a statement.

The CD was called the 'Singhvi virus' across the social media. For three days, it was the talk of social networking sites. Finally, the suave lawyer bent.

In a written statement on Monday, Singhvi said, "I have done this only to prevent even the slightest possible Parliamentary disruption regarding the purported CDs being circulated about me."

"I wish to categorically state that canards and baseless allegations are being spread about alleged inappropriate conversation in the CD. People inimically opposed to me, who have assiduously spent over 10 days hearing, seeing, amplifying and distilling the CD have found no vestige of any reference, not even remotely, to any illegality, corrupt practice, or wrongdoing," he added.

"I think, it does not make much difference as to whether he has been asked to resign or he has resigned himself. It is the same," Congress leader Janardhan Dwivedi said.

But the Opposition was unwilling to offer any easy exit to Singhvi. The BJP said that if the CD was genuine, it should be sent to the ethics committee and if it was forged it should be sent to the privileges committee. The BJP will ask for an investigation to figure out the authenticity of the CD.

"Parliament should be told what are the reasons that led to Singhvi's resignation," BJP leader Arun Jaitley said.

The Opposition has once again got hold of an issue to beat the government with Singhvi's resignation and is unlikely to put a lid on what is clearly the most embarrassing episode for the Congress.