Jagdeep Dhankhar
Credit: PTI photo
New Delhi: A month has gone past after Jagdeep Dhankhar dramatically announced his resignation citing "health grounds" but has not been seen in public or made any statements since then, prompting the Opposition to raise concern about his "sudden disappearance" from public life and his "silence".
On the first day of the Parliament's Monsoon Session on July 21 after chairing the proceedings during the day, Dhankhar resigned from the Constitutional post citing concerns over his health but none took it on face value and attributed it to growing differences between him and the Narendra Modi government.
The immediate trigger appeared to be Dhankhar receiving a notice to impeach Justice Yashwant Varma from the Opposition MPs in Rajya Sabha, against the wishes of the government, which wanted the motion to be first moved in Lok Sabha.
Sources said the government has identified an official accommodation for Dhankhar, who is presently staying in the Vice President’s House, in a locality in Lutyen’s Delhi.
While Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi referred to Dhankhar's resignation while addressing a felicitation meeting for Opposition joint Vice Presidential candidate, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha floor leader Derek O'Brien said on Thursday, "there is no byte, no video and no trace of the (former Vice President).
Similarly, there is no face, no candidate and no consensus (in BJP over who will be next party chief)."
CPI Rajya Sabha floor leader P Sandosh Kumar wrote a letter to Dhankhar on Thursday saying his resignation came as a "shock" while highlighting that the Opposition had differences with him but they "always respected the dignity of the Chair".
"What has caused greater anxiety is (Dhankhar’s) complete absence from the public domain since his resignation. He has not addressed the press, not appeared in public, and even pr-escheduled events were cancelled. Such silence and withdrawal, after citing health reasons, has understandably created deep concern among MPs and citizens regarding his well-being," Kumar said.
The letter urged Dhankhar to "respond and reassure" Parliament and the public at the earliest, as the process to elect his successor is already underway and "clarity and reassurance" from the former Vice President himself would help "dispel speculation, unease, and unanswered questions" that continue to surround his "unprecedented" resignation.
On Wednesday Rahul referred to Dhankhar, whose resignation has led to the latest election, and said they should not forget why they were electing a new Vice President.
"There is a big story about why he resigned. Some of you might know it, some of you might not know it, but there is a story behind it, and then there is a story about why he is in hiding. Why is the Vice President of India in a situation where he cannot say a word? Suddenly, the person who used to burst forth in the Rajya Sabha has gone silent, completely silent. So this is the time we are living in," he said.