New Delhi: Congress Member of Parliament Manickam Tagore on Monday (February 2) submitted an Adjournment Motion notice in Lok Sabha, seeking an urgent discussion on what he described as “serious international media reports allegedly referencing PM Narendra Modi in communications linked to Jeffrey Epstein”.An adjournment motion allows Lok Sabha to suspend its regular scheduled business to take up urgent matters of public importance. It can be moved with the Speaker’s permission, and is meant for issues that are time-sensitive and require immediate government response. The present demand relates to recently released documents related to an investigation in the United States into late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.“An email dated 9 July 2017, allegedly written by Epstein, refers to meetings involving Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, the US President, and a subsequent official visit to Israel. These claims are now circulating globally, raising serious questions and speculation. This House cannot remain silent when such issues are being debated internationally, and the Government has not provided a clear, categorical, and authoritative explanation,” Tagore said, according to a report in The Week.The controversy stems from a fragment of an email, attributed to Epstein and circulating in Indian and international media, that reportedly mentions Modi’s 2017 visit to Israel. The language in the email suggests the Indian prime minister had acted on “advice” and for “the benefit of the US president”. The concluding phrase of Epsteins message is: “IT WORKED!”Congress leaders have cited this as troubling and demanded clarity from the government and prime minister on both the substance and context of the communication, and demanded to know whether the Indian government has sought to verify these communications independently.The Wire has reported in detail on the contents of the emails, based on what the US Department of Justice has made publicly available – large parts of the communications are redacted – following public pressure in the country.Deccan Herald reported that the opposition has framed the issue as one of national dignity and India’s international image, and urged parliament to debate the implications of the purported reference to the prime minister in the documents.Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said recently on social media that the prime minister’s name appears “several times” in the tranche of files and that “many questions do remain” (despite an official statement denying all but the prime minister’s official visit to Israel in 2017, as a matter of public record). Ramesh described the situation as “extremely shameful” and asserted that silence on the matter was “unacceptable”.The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Union government have strongly pushed back against the allegations. Party spokespersons have accused the opposition of misrepresenting the documents and spreading misinformation, arguing there is no credible evidence of any advisory relationship between Modi and Epstein.The Ministry of External Affairs had earlier taken note of the reports and addressed the matter, stating that the allusions in the email (apart from the prime minister’s visit to Israel in 2017) are “little more than trashy ruminations by a convicted criminal” that should be dismissed with “utmost contempt”.“I seek answers from the Prime Minister: Has the Government verified the authenticity of the communications attributed to Jeffrey Epstein that reference Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji? Did Jeffrey Epstein, directly or indirectly, ever interact with Prime Minister Modi or the Government of India? Was any advice, briefing, facilitation, or informal consultation sought from individuals associated with Epstein before Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji’s meeting with the US President in June 2017 or his official visit to Israel in July 2017?” Tagore said, according to Asianet news.The Wire had earlier reported that Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri’s name appears in the Epstein files, in references pertaining to his professional interactions and networking prior to his taking up a ministerial berth, not linked to any criminal activity Epstein was involved in.