The sudden resignation of India’s Vice President, Jagdeep Dhankhar, citing health reasons, has sparked speculation, with many questioning whether there is more to the story. Sources within the government suggest that Dhankhar’s exit may be linked to discussions around the impeachment of former Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma, who faces corruption allegations.

According to top officials, the government was preparing to table an impeachment motion against Justice Varma in both Houses of Parliament. This was expected to be a key topic in the Rajya Sabha Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting. But unexpectedly, Dhankhar acknowledged and supported a resolution moved by the Opposition regarding the judge’s impeachment. He even committed to discussing it the next day at 1 PM — catching the government by surprise, as no formal agenda on impeachment had yet been agreed upon.Following this, senior ministers reportedly contacted Dhankhar to express their disapproval, saying his actions were inappropriate and that he was already under observation for some time. The disagreement escalated into a heated exchange, after which Dhankhar felt cornered and decided to step down immediately.

There were two BAC meetings held on Monday. At 12:30 PM, it was attended by Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and JP Nadda, but when the committee met again at 4:30 PM, both were absent and Minister L Murugan represented the government instead.Later that evening, Dhankhar submitted his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu, citing medical reasons — though many were surprised, given that he had been active earlier in the day, including chairing committee meetings.He was absent from the Rajya Sabha today, and reports suggest he may not even give a farewell speech, fueling further speculation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged Dhankhar’s contributions, praising his public service and wishing him good health in a post on X.Meanwhile, Opposition leaders have begun questioning the events leading to his resignation. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh outlined the sequence of events on X, pointing out that something unusual happened between 1 PM and 4:30 PM — including the absence of senior ministers from the second BAC meeting and the lack of communication to Dhankhar about it.

Ramesh wrote that Dhankhar rescheduled the BAC meeting for the next day, likely feeling insulted. He added that although Dhankhar cited health reasons, “there are far deeper reasons” behind his resignation. Ramesh praised Dhankhar’s fearless stance on farmer welfare, accountability in the judiciary, and protocol. Despite supporting the current government in many matters, Dhankhar had tried to engage with the Opposition and uphold institutional decorum — which may have put him at odds with those in power.