The Congress party on Tuesday suggested that Jagdeep Dhankhar's sudden resignation as Vice President of India has 'far deeper reasons' than the health-related explanation he has offered. Describing his departure as 'totally unexpected,' the Congress said the move reflects well on Dhankhar's personal integrity but poorly on those who helped him attain the high office.
Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh pointed to a sequence of events on Monday to raise doubts over the stated reasons for Dhankhar’s resignation. Ramesh said Dhankhar chaired a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of the Rajya Sabha at 12:30 pm, attended by several members including Leader of the House JP Nadda and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju.
After discussions, the BAC decided to reconvene at 4:30 pm. When the committee assembled again later in the day under Dhankhar's chairmanship, both Nadda and Rijiju were absent. Ramesh claimed that Dhankhar was not personally informed of their absence and that he took umbrage at the snub, subsequently rescheduling the meeting for the following day at 1 pm.
Ramesh said that 'something very serious' must have occurred between 1 pm and 4:30 pm to prompt such a deliberate absence from two key ministers. He called Dhankhar’s resignation 'truly unprecedented' and emphasised that while his stated health concerns must be respected, there were likely deeper political reasons behind the move.
Also Read: Rajya Sabha receives motion to remove Justice Varma
In his remarks, Ramesh lauded Dhankhar for his conduct in office. Despite consistently praising post-2014 India, the Congress leader said Dhankhar spoke out strongly on matters such as farmer welfare, judicial accountability, and the need for humility in public life. He described the Vice President as someone who tried to accommodate the opposition “to the extent possible” under the current “G2 ruling regime,” and as a person who strictly adhered to norms and protocols, which he felt were often disregarded.
“Jagdeep Dhankhar's resignation speaks highly of him. It also speaks poorly of those who had got him elected as Vice President in the first instance,” Ramesh stated.
The Congress had raised questions soon after Dhankhar submitted his resignation on Monday evening, saying the decision was as “shocking as it is inexplicable.” Ramesh, who had met with Dhankhar along with other MPs until around 5 pm that day and even spoke to him at 7:30 pm, expressed disbelief over the sudden announcement. He reiterated that while health should be a top priority, “clearly there is far more to his totally unexpected resignation than meets the eye,” though he added that it was not the time for speculation.
Ramesh further revealed that Dhankhar had scheduled another BAC meeting for Tuesday and was also expected to make major announcements regarding the judiciary. He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to convince Dhankhar to reconsider his resignation, stating that doing so would be in the national interest. He added that the farming community, in particular, would be greatly relieved if Dhankhar remained in office.
Jagdeep Dhankhar, 74, assumed office as Vice President in August 2022, with his term originally set to run until 2027. As Vice President, he also served as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. His resignation was submitted on the very first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. He had recently undergone an angioplasty at AIIMS in Delhi. During his tenure, Dhankhar had a number of confrontations with opposition parties, one of which escalated into an unprecedented motion for impeachment—marking the first such attempt against a Vice President in independent India. However, the motion was later rejected by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh.
Also Read: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigns
Follow us
