On Monday, Jagdeep Dhankhar announced his resignation as vice president, after a three-year term marred by scandals and instances in which he stepped over the fabled “laxman rekha.”
The resignation came as a surprise because the government was upset that the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha had accepted a motion supported by the opposition when the ruling BJP had presented a similar motion in the Lok Sabha to remove Justice Yashwant Varma from office. It was unexpected that Mr. Dhankhar, who had previously served as the Governor of Bengal and as the Veep, accepted the move. He must have been aware of the Lok Sabha notice. It has been deemed puzzling that he did this without telling the BJP.
In any case, the outcome of secret discussions among senior government officials was a succinct “I resign” letter to President Droupadi Murmu, which was initially shared on X at 9:25 p.m.
https://x.com/VPIndia/status/1947324464351551541?t=W3rsAU0OdN0yE662gKC_qw&s=19
Raghav Chadha and Jagdeep Dhankhar
Raghav Chadha of the Aam Aadmi Party, who had been suspended since August 11 for violating House rules, was found guilty in December 2023 of providing false information to the media by the Rajya Sabha Privileges Committee. But Mr. Dhankhar lifted his suspension, which infuriated the government.
Prior to the motion’s passage, Mr. Dhankhar informed the House that the AAP leader had been found guilty on both counts, even though the motion said that Mr. Chadha’s 114-day suspension was “sufficient punishment.” Mr. Dhankhar had filed the complaint against Mr. Chadha, alleging that he had named four MPs without permission and suggested a Select Committee to examine the controversial Delhi services bill.
Farmers’ Protests as Direct Critique
Reigniting the debate, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar questioned the ongoing protests against the farm laws. He put into doubt the prolongation of the agitation, stating that the farmers are, indeed, to be helped, but the other side is to question the political motivation behind it. Contrasting Comments on Defence and Nuclear Readiness: A Brave Turn
Additionally, according to sources, Mr. Dhankhar’s confrontation with the government over farmers’ continuous demands for a minimum support price, which began in August 2020, was not well received. Speaking at a public gathering in December, Mr. Dhankhar asked Agriculture Minister Shivraj Chouhan pointed questions.
“Could you please tell me what the farmer was promised? Why wasn’t the promise kept? There was a movement last year, and this year is no exception. The clock is ticking away.
Dhankhar turned bold in defence of India’s defence efforts, discounting the noise surrounding the nuclear-capable Agni-V missile system. He felt it was a requisite for national sovereignty and strategic deterrence. The dichotomous Dhankhar-criticising farmers’ protests while upholding nuclear preparedness-is beginning to generate friction among lawmakers. His upcoming address to Parliament was bound to bring some wrath from the opposition and throw debate over a larger national agenda. These remarks emerge as Dhankhar seeks a fine balance between sympathy for the agricultural community and unwavering support for India’s defence capabilities. Analysts claim this further demonstrates his supposed approach of portraying himself as a conciliator in contentious political spheres.
As well the Supreme Court
Mr. Dhankhar criticized the judiciary earlier this month for the Justice Yashwant Varma controversy. At his Shakespearean best, he cautioned the judiciary to “beware the Ides of March” and demanded that a criminal probe be started into the recovery of the money.
