‘Never said I was unwell… was prioritising my health’: Jagdeep Dhankhar on his resignation as vice president

Former vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday said that his resignation from the post in July last year wasn’t on account of ill health, but that he was “prioritising health”. Addressing a small gathering at Churu in Rajasthan, Dhankhar said, “Kehte hain pehla sukh nirogi kaaya. Maine swasthya ke prati kabhi laparwahi nahi barti. Maine jab kaha ki main pad tyag raha hun, toh maine kabhi ye nahi kaha ke main beemar hun. Maine kaha main swashtya ko ahmiyat de raha hun, aur deni chahiye. (It is said that the first happiness is a healthy body. I have never neglected my health. When I said I was resigning, I never said I was ill. I said I was prioritising my health, as it should be).” In his letter dated July 21, 2025, to the President, Dhankhar had said that he was resigning “to prioritise health care and abide by medical advice.” In August last year, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had questioned Dhankhar’s silence since his surprise resignation. Rahul Gandhi had said at the time, “There is a big story about why he resigned. Some of you might know it, some of you might not. But there is a story behind it. And then there’s a story about why he is in hiding. Why is he, the Vice President of India, in a situation where he cannot say a word… and has to hide… suddenly, the person who used to burst forth in Rajya Sabha has gone… completely silent.” In Churu, Dhankhar was hosted by former Congress MP Ram Singh Kaswan, father of sitting Churu MP Rahul Kaswan of the Congress, and Olympian and former Congress MLA Krishna Poonia. The former vice president said that it was concern over Ram Singh’s health that drew him to Churu, and that whenever he has been unwell, Ram Singh has been among the first to check on him. Hamza Khan is a seasoned Correspondent for The Indian Express, specifically reporting from the diverse and politically dynamic state of Rajasthan. Based in Jaipur, he provides high-authority coverage on the state's governance, legal landscape, and social issues, directly supporting the "Journalism of Courage" ethos of the publication. Expertise Politics & Governance: Comprehensive tracking of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, including policy changes (e.g., the Right to Health Bill and Anti-Mob Lynching Bills), bypoll dynamics, and the shifting power structures between the BJP and Congress. ... Read More