NEW DELHI: Former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has remained out of the public eye since his resignation, prompting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday to question where he is “hiding” and why he has gone “completely silent.”
Speaking at an event honoring the Opposition’s joint vice presidential candidate B. Sudarshan Reddy, Gandhi suggested there is more to Dhankhar’s resignation than meets the eye. He wondered why the former vice president finds himself in a position where he “cannot say a word” and feels the need to remain hidden.
“Where has the former Vice President gone? Why is he in hiding?” Gandhi asked the audience at the central hall of the Samvidhan Sadan.
The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha recalled that on the day of Dhankhar’s resignation, Congress leader K.C. Venugopal informed him, “The Vice President is gone.” Gandhi added, “There is a significant story behind why he resigned. Some may know it, some may not, but the truth is out there. And there’s also a story behind why he is in hiding—why the former vice president cannot speak even a single word and has to remain silent… everyone knows this.”
He further remarked, “The person who once ‘burst forth’ in the Rajya Sabha has now gone completely silent. These are the times we are living in.”
In a post on X, Gandhi reiterated his concerns: “Why is the former Vice President of India hiding? Why has a situation arisen where he cannot come out and speak even a single word? Think about the times we are living in.”
Dhankhar had abruptly resigned as Vice President on July 21, citing health reasons, on the first day of the Monsoon session of Parliament. Observers speculated that his deteriorating relationship with the ruling party may have influenced his decision to step down.
