Dhankhar's resignation leaves many questions unanswered, BJP has record of weakening constitutional offices: Surjewala

New Delhi [India], July 22 (ANI): Congress leader Randeep Surjewala on Tuesday slammed the BJP following the resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar, stating that the party has a track record of "weakening both constitutional offices and processes". 

He noted that Dhankhar's "sudden and mysterious" resignation has left many questions unanswered and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take parliament into confidence on the matter.   

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday evening resigned from his post "to prioritise health care and abide by medical advice." Dhankhar, who is also Chairman of Rajya Sabha, sent his resignation letter to President Droupadi Murmu.

"The sudden and mysterious manner in which the Vice President resigned leaves many questions unanswered. The BJP has a track record of weakening both constitutional offices and processes. The BJP also has a track record of insulting constitutional officeholders and undermining the constitutional framework... What is visible and what is the reason are entirely different. We demand that Prime Minister Modi come forward and take the people of India and Parliament into confidence", Randeep Surjewala told ANI.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) Member of Parliament (MP), Mahua Maji, said there should be clarity on Dhankhar's resignation and that he could have resigned after the conclusion of the Monsoon session.

"This is very shocking for everyone. He could have resigned after the conclusion of the Monsoon session. Everyone is making assumptions regarding the reason behind Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar's resignation. There should be clarity on it," she said. 

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi questioned the Central government over Dhankhar's resignation.

Referring to Congress MP Jairam Ramesh's X post, which alleged "deeper reasons" behind the resignation, Priyanka Chaturvedi demanded that the government should inform about the reason behind the sudden resignation. 

"For the first time in the history of India, a no-confidence motion was signed by over 50 members of the Parliament because of the partisan manner in which the House was being conducted. He (VP Jagdeep Dhankhar) was a partisan. It is for the government to tell us what was the reason for the government to tell us what was the reason for the sudden resignation, because he seemed in fine health" she told ANI. 

In his post on X, Jairam Ramesh said there are far deeper reasons for Dhankhar's resignation and while he lauded post-2014 India, he also spoke fearlessly for the welfare of farmers, forcefully against what he called 'ahankar' in public life.

Jairam Ramesh alleged that Dhankar was not personally informed that Union Health Minister JP Nadda, who is Leader of House in Rajya Sabha, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju were not attending the BAC meeting scheduled yesterday afternoon at 4.30 pm.

Sources said that Nadda and Rijiju had given information about their not being able to attend the BAC meeting. They said Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs  L Murugan was present in the meeting. 

In his post, Jairam Ramesh said “something very serious happened yesterday between 1 pm and 4:30 pm”.  

“Yesterday, Shri Jagdeep Dhankar chaired the Business Advisory Committee of the Rajya Sabha at 12:30 PM. It was attended by most members, including Leader of the House JP Nadda and the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju. After some discussion, the BAC decided to meet again at 4:30 PM. At 4:30 PM, the BAC reassembled under the chairmanship of Shri Jagdeep Dhankar. It waited for Shri Nadda and Shri Rijiju to arrive. They never came,” he said. 

“Shri Jagdeep Dhankar was not personally informed that the two senior Ministers were not attending. Rightly he took umbrage and rescheduled the BAC for today at 1 PM. So 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. Now in a truly unprecedented move, Shri Jagdeep Dhankar has resigned. He has given health reasons for doing so,” he added.

Jairam Ramesh said Dhankhar was a stickler for norms and proprieties. 

“Those should be respected. But it is also a fact that there are far deeper reasons for his resignation. While always lauding post-2014 India, he spoke fearlessly for the welfare of farmers, forcefully against what he called 'ahankar' in public life, and strongly on judicial accountability and restraint,” he said. 

“To the extent possible under the current G2 ruling regime, he tried to accommodate the Opposition. He was a stickler for norms, proprieties, and protocol, which he believed were being consistently disregarded in both his capacities. Shri Jagdeep Dhankar's resignation speaks highly of him. It also speaks poorly of those who had got him elected as Vice President in the first instance,” he added.  (ANI)