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PM Narendra Modi says Jagdeep Dhankhar got opportunities to serve India
Jagdeep Dhankhar, an ardent champion of the supremacy of Parliament, tendered his resignation on Monday after presiding over a deeply divided Rajya Sabha for nearly three years
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday acknowledged former vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resignation and his contribution to the country in different roles.
“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,” the PM wrote on X, a day after Dhankhar resigned citing health reasons, triggering intense speculation in political circles over the unexpected move.
Dhankhar, an ardent champion of the supremacy of Parliament, tendered his resignation on Monday after presiding over a deeply divided Rajya Sabha for nearly three years.
Deputy chairperson Harivansh on Tuesday presided over the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha, a day after India’s vice president and upper house chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned.
In an announcement, he talked about the unexpected resignation.
Also Read: Deputy chair Harivansh presides over Rajya Sabha after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigns
He said the occurrence of a vacancy in the office of the vice president is envisaged in the Constitution.
The vice president’s office confirmed to HT that Dhankar will not be returning to the house to make a farewell speech, a tradition that has been followed by all outgoing chairs and that also gives an occasion for other members of the House to speak fondly of their tenure.
Minutes after it assembled, the house was adjourned till 12 pm amid ruckus created by the Opposition members. Many of them had earlier moved notices under Rule 267 demanding a discussion on the concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls by the Election Commission in Bihar and Dhankhar’s unprecedented and unexpected resignation.
When the House met again for question hour, Ghanshyam Tiwari, who was presiding over the proceedings, informed the house that a home ministry notification has conveyed Dhankhar’s resignation under Article 67(a) of the Constitution with immediate effect. The opposition members continued with their ruckus, leading to the house being adjourned till 2 pm.
As the VP, Dhankhar had often spoken about Parliament’s supremacy and on several occasions expressed anguish over the disruptions over the Opposition’s demand to discuss issues in the House. Once Dhankhar said Rule 267, which allows for adjournments, is being “weaponised as a mechanism of disruption.”
But the Opposition too accused him of bias and questioned his decisions frequently. A large number of Opposition MPs were suspended during his term and on one such occasion, suspended MPs spent a night near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the old Parliament premises to protest.
In the secretariat, Dhankhar quietly reshuffled officials who occupied the same position over many decades and ushered in a number of reforms to ensure that the content of the Rajya Sabha TV improved.
