Congress calls Dhankar's resignation "black day"; BJP says oppn should believe reasons cited

New Delhi [India], July 22 (ANI): Amid rising speculations over the reasons behind Jagdeep Dhankar's resignation, Congress leader Pramod Tiwari on Tuesday expressed shock while labelling it as a "dark day in parliamentary history".
"This is shocking. I would urge him to reconsider. He was well-versed in parliamentary knowledge and served as a voice for the farmers. This is a dark day in parliamentary history when a Vice President is unable to complete his term," Tiwari told ANI.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said, "We are concerned about his health. It is very sad that he had a sudden health issue. Our best wishes for his speedy recovery."
Earlier in the day, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh claimed that there was more to Dhankar's "unexpected" resignation as Vice President than meets the eye.
"The sudden resignation of the Vice President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha is as shocking as it is unimaginable. Until around 5 PM this evening, I was with him, along with several other MPs, and at 7:30 PM, I had a phone conversation with him. Undoubtedly, Jagdeep Dhankhar should prioritise his health above all else. However, it is also clear that there is more to his completely unexpected resignation than meets the eye. Nevertheless, this is not the time for speculation," the Congress leader posted on X.
This comes after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Ghanshyam Tiwari, who was in the Chair, on Tuesday announced that Jagdeep Dhankhar's resignation as Vice President of India has been accepted by the President of India, Draupadi Murmu. Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Harivansh Narayan Singh was seen chairing the proceedings after Dhankhar's resignation.
The Chair said that the Ministry of Home Affairs has, wide its notification, conveyed resignation of Vice President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar under 67A of the Constitution with immediate effect.
Meanwhile, BJP MP Ashok Chavan asked the opposition to trust the reasons cited by Dhankar for his resignation.
"Raising questions doesn't mean anything. The opposition should trust the reason behind the resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, when he himself has said it," Chavan told ANI.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale also stated that Dhankar had resigned due to his poor health, which had been deteriorating for some days.
"He is a very serious, disciplined person; his contribution to our country has been immense. He listened to everyone, but his health had not been well for some days, so he resigned," Athawale told ANI.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey took a jibe at the opposition for expressing shock over Dhankar's resignation, implying that the opposition was being dramatic.
"Opposition is playing the role of Kader Khan in the film," Dubey posted on X while citing a news report from December last year where the opposition parties moved to impeach Dhankar from the Vice President's office and accused him of being "partisan".
Earlier on Monday, VP Dhankar had announced his resignation on health grounds.
"To prioritise health care and abide by medical advice, I hereby resign as the Vice President of India, effective immediately, in accordance with Article 67(a) of the constitution," Dhankar's resignation letter read. (ANI)