Jagdeep Dhankhar’s sudden exit: What unfolded between 1 pm and 4:30 pm?

Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar announced a surprise resignation late Monday evening, attributing his decision to health concerns. The sudden decision followed a day of anticipated but routine disruptions in the Rajya Sabha, where Dhankhar managed proceedings.

Dhankhar’s resignation letter cited health reasons, noting, “To prioritise health care and abide by medical advice, I hereby resign as Vice-President of India, effective immediately.”

His surprise announcement sent shockwaves across the political spectrum, leading to guesswork of all kinds. As per Congress MP Vivek Tankha, Dhankhar was in a jovial mood when he conducted the Parliament on Monday but something shifted later in the day. “He was completely healthy. He conducted the Parliament in the same jovial mood. Something happened in the afternoon on Monday which has upset him,” Tankha said. 

Besides this, the absence of BJP President JP Nadda and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju from a crucial Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting also raised eyebrows. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh remarked, “Something very serious happened yesterday between 1 PM and 4:30 PM to account for the deliberate absence of Shri Nadda and Shri Rijiju from the second BAC yesterday.”

Despite this, many believe there could be “far deeper reasons for his resignation,” as suggested by the senior Congress leader. “Now in a truly unprecedented move, Shri Jagdeep Dhankar has resigned,” added Ramesh.

An intervention by JP Nadda during a parliamentary debate, where he stated, “Nothing will go on record, only what I say will go on record,” has been highlighted as a significant moment. Pappu Yadav remarked, “The BJP doesn’t care about the Constitution or democratic values. Dhankhar ji conducted himself impartially, and that didn’t sit well with many in power.”

Dhankhar was engaged in critical discussions, including a motion related to Justice Yashwant Varma. His decision to accept the motion “without taking the government into confidence” may also have contributed to tensions. His resignation came despite plans for official engagements, as indicated by a post from the Vice-President’s Secretariat detailing a scheduled visit to Jaipur.

Jairam Ramesh commented that Dhankhar was expected to make “major announcements related to the judiciary” the following day. “Mr Dhankar took both the Government and the Opposition to task in equal measure,” Ramesh stated.

Though Dhankhar’s resignation was officially announced at 9:25 pm, the circumstances leading up to it have invited scrutiny and speculation. Ultimately, as Ramesh noted, “No doubt Mr Dhankar has to give topmost priority to his health. But clearly there is far more to his totally unexpected resignation than meets the eye.”