Beniwal sparks row, says Dhankhar resigned under BJP pressure

Jaipur, July 22 (IANS) Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) founder and Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal has alleged that Dhankhar did not step down as Vice President voluntarily but was compelled to resign under pressure from the BJP.

Reacting to Dhankhar’s exit – officially attributed to health reasons – Beniwal questioned both the timing and circumstances of the resignation, which came mid-session in Parliament.

“If health was genuinely the reason, the Prime Minister would have asked him to reconsider. It is clear the resignation was extracted under political pressure,” Beniwal said.

Beniwal, who, despite being in opposition to the BJP-led NDA, had supported Dhankhar’s candidature for Vice President, cited his earlier vote in favour of Dhankhar as a gesture for “social and regional representation.”

However, he said Dhankhar’s conduct in office had raised doubts about his neutrality.

“Once in office, he began displaying political ambitions that compromised the dignity and impartiality expected of the Vice President,” Beniwal claimed.

Calling on Dhankhar to speak out, Beniwal said, “If he has resigned due to political pressure, he should come forward now and tell the truth. Any explanation given six months later will only appear as an attempt to gain cheap popularity.”

Dhankhar’s resignation – submitted late Monday night under Article 67(a) of the Constitution – was accepted by the President.

The move has taken many by surprise, especially as Dhankhar had actively presided over the Rajya Sabha earlier the same day, showing no public signs of ill health.

In his resignation letter, Dhankhar cited personal well-being and medical advice as the basis for his decision to step down. However, with opposition leaders like Beniwal openly questioning the narrative, political discourse has intensified around whether the resignation was truly personal or politically orchestrated.

The BJP has so far chosen not to respond to Beniwal’s claims. Political observers note that this is the first instance in India’s history of a Vice President resigning solely on the grounds of health.

Previous resignations – by V.V. Giri (1969) and R. Venkataraman (1987) – were prompted by elevation to the presidency.

–IANS

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