"Something very serious happened yesterday...": Jairam Ramesh cites political reasons behind Dhankhar's resignation

New Delhi [India], July 22 (ANI): Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday claimed that there are "far deeper reasons" behind the resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, citing the "deliberate" absence of Union Ministers JP Nadda and Kiren Rijiju from the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting chaired by the Rajya Sabha Chairman on July 21.
In a post on X, Jairam said that the first BAC meeting, called at 12:30 pm on Monday, was attended by both Union Ministers, but both Nadda and Rijiju were "deliberately" absent from the 4:30 pm meeting called by Dhankhar.
"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," he said.
"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. 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 (July 22) at 1 PM," the Congress leader said in the post.
"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," he added.
Ramesh said that while Dhankar has cited health reasons for giving his resignation, which should be respected, there are also "far deeper reasons for his resignation."
"Now in a truly unprecedented move, Shri Jagdeep Dhankar has resigned. He has given health reasons for doing so. 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. 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," Jairam Ramesh said.
"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.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from his post on July 21 "to prioritise health care and abide by medical advice." Dhankar, also the Chairman of Rajya Sabha, sent his resignation letter to President Droupadi Murmu.
"I extend my deepest gratitude to Your Excellency - the Hon'ble President of India for her unwavering support and the soothing wonderful working relationship we maintained during my tenure," the letter added
The Vice President also expressed his deep gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Council of Ministers.
He said, "Prime Minister's cooperation and support have been invaluable, and I have learned much during my time in office." (ANI)