Amit Shah Breaks Silence on Dhankhar’s Resignation and ‘Missing’ Allegations

National News: Former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who resigned from his post last month citing health issues, has not made any public appearance or statement since stepping down. His silence has become a matter of political debate, with the Congress and other opposition parties alleging that Dhankhar has “gone missing.” The absence of any clarification from Dhankhar has only fueled speculation in political circles.

Amit Shah Breaks Silence

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in an interview with ANI, responded to the controversy and sought to dismiss the growing rumors. He emphasized that Dhankhar had held a constitutional position and carried out his duties responsibly in accordance with the Constitution. Shah added that the resignation was entirely due to personal health reasons and warned against unnecessary speculation. “No one should try to stretch this issue and create baseless stories,” he said.

Political Context of the Resignation

Shah’s remarks come just days before the Vice Presidential elections scheduled for September 9. Following Dhankhar’s resignation, the ruling NDA has nominated Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan as its candidate, while the opposition INDIA bloc has fielded former Supreme Court judge B. Sudarshan Reddy. Dhankhar’s decision to step down had surprised many in political circles, triggering discussions on what compelled him to take such a step.

Rahul Gandhi’s Attack on Government

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi recently targeted the government, questioning Dhankhar’s silence. He remarked that the people of the country have the right to know why the Vice President resigned and why there has been no communication from him since then. Gandhi, while addressing people, said, “I asked someone—do you know what happened to the former Vice President?” Nobody seems to have an answer. Let us not forget why we are electing a new Vice President in the first place.” His comments added to the opposition narrative that there is more to Dhankhar’s resignation than what has been revealed.

Amit Shah on Opposition Candidate

In the same interview, Amit Shah also criticized the opposition’s choice of candidate for the upcoming election. Referring to Justice Sudarshan Reddy, Shah said his past judgments—including the rejection of Salwa Judum, a state-sponsored militia against Naxalites—had weakened the fight against left-wing extremism. “By abolishing the tribals’ right to self-defense, he prolonged Naxalism for more than two decades. This shows the ideological leaning behind his selection,” Shah asserted.

Election Commission Schedule

The Election Commission of India has already released the timeline for the Vice Presidential elections:

• Notification issued: August 7
• Last date for nominations: August 21
• Scrutiny of nominations: August 22
• Withdrawal of nominations: August 25
• Polling date: September 9
• Counting of votes: September 9

What Lies Ahead

The Vice Presidential elections are expected to be closely watched as both the ruling coalition and the opposition test their strength in Parliament. While Dhankhar’s resignation remains officially attributed to health concerns, opposition leaders continue to raise questions. For now, Amit Shah’s clarification seeks to draw a line under the controversy, though political debates around the issue are likely to continue until a new Vice President is elected.