The lack of any official response from the government only fueled the controversy further
Editorial: The Sensation and Truth Behind Vice President Dhankhar's Sudden Resignation
The sudden resignation of Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar from the post of Vice President and the resulting political buzz and debates are natural reactions. The fact that President Droupadi Murmu approved his resignation within 15 hours has intensified the controversy, leading to speculations that Dhankhar was forced to resign.
Until Monday evening, he was performing his duties as usual. Just a few hours later, news broke that he had submitted his resignation to the President citing health reasons, and had also requested immediate acceptance of it. Naturally, this news caused a wave of shock and curiosity in political circles. The opposition quickly alleged that Dhankhar was made a political scapegoat for deeper reasons.
The lack of any official response from the government only fueled the controversy further, giving rise to doubts that the resignation wasn't due to health concerns but rather political ones. Shri Dhankhar is known not only for his frankness but also for his assertive nature. This led to the widespread assumption that during the Rajya Sabha's Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting held on Monday evening, the absence of Union Health Minister and Leader of the House Jagat Prakash Nadda and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju may have been perceived by Dhankhar as disrespectful, prompting him to resign in anger.
JP Nadda, who is also the national president of the BJP, and Kiren Rijiju have clarified that they were occupied with certain parliamentary responsibilities and had informed the Vice President’s office about their inability to attend the meeting well in advance. It’s worth noting that, as per the Indian Constitution, the Vice President is also the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and is responsible for running the House.
During his tenure as Chairman, Dhankhar often drew criticism and dissatisfaction from the opposition parties. He was frequently accused of favoring the ruling party. In December last year, the opposition’s INDIA bloc even brought a no-confidence motion against him — the first ever such motion against a Vice President in Indian political history.
Though the motion was dismissed on technical grounds, it left behind political bitterness. Ironically, the same parties that once labeled him as a “biased referee,” “mouthpiece of the ruling party,” and someone who “speaks the RSS’s language,” are now glorifying his intellect, ability, and personal integrity, calling his resignation a “blow to democratic values.”
This drastic turnaround is a testament to the ever-changing nature of politics.
74-year-old Jagdeep Dhankhar hails from the Jat community of Rajasthan. Despite coming from a farming background, he rose through the legal profession from Jhunjhunu district courts to become a senior advocate in the Supreme Court. He began his political journey with the Janata Dal and served as Minister of State in Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar’s government (1990–91).
After the decline of Janata Dal, he joined the Congress, and from 2003, he became associated with the BJP. The party appointed him as the Governor of West Bengal in 2019. His frequent clashes with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s government are still widely discussed in Bengal’s intellectual circles. In August 2022, as the candidate of the ruling NDA alliance, he was elected Vice President of India. Since then, his bold remarks and strong loyalty to PM Modi have been a constant irritant for the opposition.
Besides being a target of opposition attacks, Dhankhar also became known — or infamous — for directly criticizing the higher judiciary, especially Supreme Court judges and their decisions. For several months, he had been accusing the Supreme Court of acting beyond constitutional limits and favoring select elite lawyer groups.
This is likely why the ruling party’s lack of effort to persuade him to withdraw his resignation, and the brief farewell message from the Prime Minister, have both raised eyebrows and sparked further speculation. The real reason behind Dhankhar’s resignation may take some time to surface, but given his outspoken nature, it is unlikely to remain hidden for long. One can safely assume that his urge to stay in the headlines will soon overpower the current silence.
