'Just 10 minutes before 5pm...': The frantic race before Jagdeep Dhankhar's exit

Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned as vice-president at monsoon session start

Just 10 minutes before 5 pm on July 21, a sealed envelope was handed over to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat. This marked the end of Jagdeep Dhankhar's journey as Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman, according to a report by NDTV.

Dhankhar resigned from office on July 21 citing health concerns and the need to follow medical advice. His resignation, addressed to President Droupadi Murmu, comes into effect immediately under Article 67(a) of the Constitution.

According to the report by NDTV, a string of events led to the abrupt exit of Dhankhar.

What happened on July 21?

On July 21 morning, Dhankhar attended the Business Advisory Committee of the Rajya Sabha. He had asked ministers to ask the government when the Prime Minister would speak in the House on Operation Sindoor.

This question reportedly made the ministers upset as they said that neither the chair nor the opposition can decide when the PM will speak in the House.

After the BAC meeting, Dhankhar went home for lunch. The NDTV report said that Dhankhar then got a call from a senior minister. But Dhankhar reportedly declined to speak to him. “The Centre realised that the Dhankhar chapter was over,” Dhankhar told NDTV.

At 4 pm, Dhankhar went back to the Rajya Sabha and mentioned the opposition's proposal against Justice Verma.

At 4.30 pm, a second session of the BAC was scheduled. However, no government representative turned up.

Meanwhile, all Rajya Sabha MPs of the NDA had gathered in Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's office, where their signatures were collected on a proposal for Dhankhar's removal. Sources told NDTV the NDA had the support of 134 MPs on this matter.

The government was keen on ending the matter on that day itself and not postponing it to the next day, sources told NDTV.

The NDA proposal was handed over to Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal in a sealed envelope. He carried it to the Chairman's chamber and submitted the envelope to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat at 4.50 pm.

According to reports, Dhankhar taking up the Opposition-sponsored impeachment notice against Justice Varma from the Opposition as Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha did not sit well with the government. The Centre apparently wanted it to be initiated in the Lok Sabha first.

On July 22, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished Dhankhar good health.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh reacted with a dig at the PM. Ramesh, like he usually does, said on X that PM Modi's social media post had "added to the mystery of his abrupt exit."
Ramesh also alleged that "kisanputra" has been denied even a dignified farewell, while terming Dhankhar's resignation as “forced”.