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Congress terms Vice President Dhankhar’s resignation ‘shocking’ and ‘unexpected’
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh praised Dhankhar for being balanced as Vice President, saying he held both the government and Opposition equally accountable.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh described the resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar as both “shocking” and “unexpected,” though he acknowledged that Dhankhar's health should be his top priority and urged against speculation at this time.
Ramesh commended Dhankhar for maintaining balance during his tenure as Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman. “Mr. Dhankar took both the Government and the Opposition to task in equal measure,” he said.
Jagdeep Dhankhar stepped down from his position on Monday, citing health issues. He submitted his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu, effective immediately.
Sharing his reaction on X, the Congress MP stated, “The sudden resignation of the Vice President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha is as shocking as it is inexplicable. I was with him alongside a number of other MPs till around 5 PM today and had spoken to him over the phone at 7:30 PM. 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. This is not the time for speculation though."
“Mr. Dhankar took both the Government and the Opposition to task in equal measure. He had fixed a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee tomorrow at 1 PM. He was also to make some major announcements related to the judiciary tomorrow. We wish him the best of health but also request him to reconsider his decision. We also expect the Prime Minister to get Mr. Dhankar to change his mind. This will be in the nation's interest. The farming community particularly will be greatly relieved,” he added.
Also Read | From MLA to V-P: How Jagdeep Dhankhar rose to India's second-highest constitutional post
Congress MP Neeraj Dangi also reacted to Dhankhar’s resignation, he said, “This is very shocking and surprising that all of a sudden in the evening, such news came in. Dhankhar sahab cited health reasons to be the reasons behind his resignation. But I think, as far as health issues are concerned, during the last session he suffered a heart issue. I think he resumed on the third or fourth day. So, health issues appearing all of a sudden raise questions. This seems like a resignation under pressure by the Government. Perhaps the Government imposed this decision on him. This is not right for the country or democratic values of the country...I think for the first time in India's history, a Vice President has resigned all by himself. Whatever be the post, Government wants to run this country arbitrarily and that is before us."
‘Not going to speculate reasons’: Kapil Sibal on Dhankar's resignation
Senior advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal said he would not speculate on the reasons behind Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar's resignation and described him as one of the most active and engaging Chairmen the Rajya Sabha has seen.
He praised Dhankhar's consistent efforts to foster cooperation across party lines and extended his wishes for his good health.
Speaking to ANI, Sibal said, “I am not going to speculate reasons as to why he has resigned. He has said that it is because of health reasons. So I don't want to speculate. I can say that he was one of the most proactive Chairmen of Rajya Sabha that we have seen over the years. He would always persuade members on both sides to work together. For ultimately, we work for the country, and he always advised us to do so. We have different perceptions, so sometimes that advice was not followed, for reasons that are obvious. But be that as it may, he had a golden heart. A warm golden heart, a clear mind and he was a friend of friends, and I'm sorry that he has resigned.”
Reflecting on his personal connection with Dhankhar, Sibal added, “I wish him the best of health, because I am saddened, because I have a very good relationship with him. I have known him for 30-40 years. We were paired with each other. We have appeared against each other in matters. We have a bonhomie between us that is quite unique. I always respected him, and he always respected me. He has been to some family occasions of ours, and I am saddened and I hope that he is healthy and has a long, long life, and I wish him well. We may have had differences, in respect to our political views, or on opinions, but at a personal level, we had a very strong bond. Whenever I needed time to speak in the House, I met him personally in his chamber, and he never refused me, and gave me a little more time than is otherwise available to independent members of Parliament…”
