'Forced' resignation, says Congress on Dhankhar's sudden exit as VP

New Delhi: As questions swirl around Jagdeep Dhankhar's sudden resignation as Vice President, the Congress on Tuesday claimed it was "forced" and the reasons are "far deeper" than the health issues cited by him even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had got "many opportunities" to serve the country in various capacities.

The gazette notification of Dhankhar's resignation tendered by him in a letter to President Droupadi Murmu on Monday on the opening day of the Monsoon session of Parliament was, meanwhile, issued by the Union Home Ministry formally marking his exit from the second highest constitutional office. The vice president is also the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

Following the exit of Dhankhar(74), Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh chaired the proceedings of the morning session. Harivansh also called on President Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The Rajya Sabha was informed about the notification by the Ministry of Home Affairs on the resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar with immediate effect.

Soon after the House met for the Question Hour at 12 noon, Ghanshyam Tiwari, who was in the Chair, informed members about the notification.

The usual effusive praise that is showered on an occupant of a high office on his or her departure was conspicuously missing from the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance's side, a possible indication that the government was probably not happy with him. It was the Opposition, which had signed a notice to impeach Dhankhar last year for his alleged biases, that had nice words for him.

In his resignation letter to President Murmu, Dhankhar, an outspoken leader and a former Governor of West Bengal, said he was stepping down with immediate effect to "prioritise health care and abide by medical advice.”

The Congress said Prime Minister Modi's "non-post" on X regarding the "forced resignation" has only added to the mystery of the abrupt exit. Dhankhar, a lawyer-turned-politician, assumed office on August 11, 2022 for a five-year term.

The opposition party also said the prime minister could have been more gracious and asked the government to clarify the development.

Barring Prime Minister Modi, who put out a brief post, most of the leading government figures refrained from offering any comment.

The prime minister wished Dhankhar good health and said he got many opportunities to serve the country in various capacities.

"Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar Ji has got many opportunities to serve our country in various capacities, including as the Vice President of India. Wishing him good health," he said on X.

Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said, "PM's non-post on X regarding Shri Jagdeep Dhankar's forced resignation has only added to the mystery of his abrupt exit. Surely the PM could have been a bit more gracious -- he is, after all, the supreme master of hypocrisy." 

"The kisanputra is being denied even a dignified farewell," he said in a post on X.

"Now in a truly unprecedented move, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar has resigned. He has given health reasons for doing so. Those should be respected. But it is also a fact that there are far deeper reasons for his resignation," Ramesh claimed.

"Jagdeep Dhankar's resignation speaks highly of him. It also speaks poorly of those who had got him elected as vice president in the first instance.” West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she believed that Dhankhar’s health condition is "absolutely fine".

Banerjee hinted at a news conference in Kolkata that there could be more to the development than what meets the eye.

"Political parties cannot decide why Mr Dhankhar resigned. I have no comments on the issue," the TMC supremo said.

"Let us watch. He is a healthy man. I think his health is absolutely fine." While Congress Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha said Dhankhar's resignation was quite unexpected, party general secretary organisation K C Venugopal said the government has to clarify why the vice president resigned.

Dhankhar's abrupt resignation also opened the contest for his successor.

With the NDA enjoying a majority in the electorate, which comprises the members of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, it is likely to consider the probable names in the coming days.

The effective combined strength of both the Houses is 786 and the winning candidate will require to win 394 votes in the election for the vice president, considering all eligible voters exercise their franchise. The ruling alliance can count on the support of 422 of the 786 members.

According to Clause 2 of Article 68 of the Constitution, an election to fill a vacancy in the office of the vice president occurring due to his death, resignation or removal, or otherwise, will be held "as soon as possible" after it goes vacant.

Opposition RJD claimed that Dhankhar’s resignation was a conspiracy hatched by the BJP, aimed at "shunting" ally Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ahead of the Bihar assembly polls.

However, the claim was summarily dismissed by state minister Shravan Kumar, a close aide of the JD(U) leader and state's longest-serving CM who has been declared as the "face of the NDA" for the upcoming elections.

Some observers noted that Dhankhar had taken the lead in taking on the judiciary over a host of issues, the latest one involving Justice Yashwant Varma, who is embroiled in a suspected corruption case, and might have felt left out when it appeared that the motion to remove the judge was to be piloted in the Lok Sabha.

The alleged recovery of unaccounted half-burnt cash at the official residence of Justice Varma in the national capital in March when he was a judge of the Delhi High Court had given Dhankhar a fresh handle to target the higher judiciary on the issue of corruption and alleged lack of accountability.

Dhankhar had informed the House on Monday that he had received a notice from 63 opposition MPs for a motion to remove Justice Varma, who has since been shifted to the Allahabad High Court.

That the notice went against the government's plan to marshal a bipartisan motion for Justice Varma's removal in the Lok Sabha and not in the Upper House was made more embarrassing for the ruling alliance by the fact that it was an entirely opposition-sponsored exercise.

Dhankhar’s brother-in-law and advocate Praveen Balwada said he never gave in to pressure and that his decision is likely driven by health issues.

Congress leaders including former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot have questioned the grounds of resignation by Dhankhar, who hails from the desert state, alleging that he was working under pressure.

Gehlot said Dhankhar cited health issues for the resignation but people are not finding it to be true.

"Things like political pressure were not there. He never took pressure of any kind. I have known him since college days. I have never seen him under pressure," Balwada told PTI Videos in Jaipur.

He said Dhankhar was having health issues for some time and was relatively careless about it.

The AAP demanded a "clear explanation" from the government for the sudden resignation of Dhankhar, calling it a matter of "serious concern".