Jagdeep Dhankhar attributed health issues as the reason for his surprise resignation as Vice President on the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, which came as a shock to everyone across the political spectrum and beyond. As the discussions and speculations over the move continue, sources said that Dhankhar recently collapsed during an official event in Delhi and had to be helped out.

The incident occurred on July 17, when Dhankhar was visiting a garden with his wife and Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena. Sources confirmed that his health suddenly deteriorated, and after he collapsed, he was assisted out of the area.

Dhankhar recently underwent angioplasty at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi.

In his resignation letter addressed to President Droupadi Murmu, Dhankhar said, "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".

However, the Congress claimed that the reasons behind Dhankhar's resignation run “far deeper” than the health issues he cited, adding that while his resignation reflects well on him, it reflects poorly on those who got him elected to the post.

As an example, the party said the Vice President was disappointed over the absence of JP Nadda, Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju at the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting of the Upper House. The Congress also pointed to Nadda’s alleged directive during a chaotic moment in the House, where he reportedly told the Chair that only his remarks, and not those of the Opposition, should go on record.

Nadda rejected both allegations, saying he and Rijiju skipped the BAC meeting due to their preoccupation with important parliamentary work, and clarified that his remarks in the House were directed at the Opposition, not at the Rajya Sabha Chairman.

Source: India Today