The crocodile tears are flowing. Statements are being issued. Hushed tones of sympathy are being spun into “grave concern for democracy.” But let’s not be fooled. The sudden resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar—citing health reasons—has sent the usual suspects into performative overdrive. The same Opposition leaders who mocked, vilified, and tried their best to undermine him are now pretending to mourn his exit. It’s almost laughable, if not so hypocritically tragic. The Congress party, especially its senior leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge, Jairam Ramesh, and Digvijaya Singh, routinely questioned the dignity of Dhankhar’s office, especially when he exercised his constitutional authority as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. The Trinamool Congress (TMC), of course, played its usual disruptive role—with Mamata Banerjee’s brigade never missing a chance to brand him a “BJP puppet” during his tenure as West Bengal Governor. Let’s recall: wasn’t it Jairam Ramesh who led the Opposition’s charge by moving a no-confidence motion against Dhankhar as Vice President? And wasn’t it Dhankhar who, in a display of personal grace and constitutional courtesy, called Ramesh himself to express his decision to resign? That irony should be framed and hung in the Central Hall of Parliament. But beneath the drama lies the story of a man who didn’t flinch when the self-proclaimed defenders of democracy took turns attacking him. A legal luminary and farmer’s son who rose through sheer merit, Dhankhar brought to the Vice President’s chair what Parliament has long lacked—constitutional spine and intellectual clarity. He wasn’t a rubber stamp, nor was he a mute spectator. As Rajya Sabha Chairman, he reminded the nation of one critical truth that ruffled liberal feathers: Parliament is supreme in a democracy, not the judiciary. The Constitution begins with “We, the People”—not “We, the Bar Association.”
That Dhankhar spoke up against judicial overreach—and demanded accountability in the rarest of terms—is proof of his commitment to constitutional integrity. His call for the impeachment of former Delhi High Court judge Justice Verma (yes, the same judge in whose house currency notes were set on fire, and the video that became viral on social media) was unprecedented but not unjustified. It was high time someone in high office showed that no robe is above scrutiny. Of course, such clarity of thought was bound to upset the entrenched elite. For decades, Lutyens’ Delhi has thrived on a cosy understanding: the legislature performs, the judiciary interferes, and the executive apologizes. Dhankhar flipped the script. As Governor of West Bengal, he was a nightmare for Mamata Banerjee—because he refused to play the silent spectator while democracy was strangled in broad daylight. Whether it was the collapse of law and order, the political killings of BJP workers, or the post-poll violence of 2021, Dhankhar was the rare constitutional authority who spoke truth to power—fearlessly and frequently. And the reward? The same Opposition that now cries foul over his resignation mocked and vilified him throughout. TMC MPs walked out when he entered the House. Congress leaders called his interventions “uncalled for.” Digvijaya Singh, in his trademark verbal incontinence, accused him of “destroying Rajya Sabha decorum.” Yet through it all, Dhankhar remained what the Constitution demands of its custodians—impartial, fearless, and unbending in defence of parliamentary sovereignty. So today, let us not be distracted by the theatrics of those who see resignation where there is resolve, illness where there is integrity. Jagdeep Dhankhar may have stepped down, but he has not stepped away from history. His legacy will remain that of a man who reminded India that the Constitution isn’t a pamphlet for courtroom lectures—it is a living charter of popular will. And those who couldn’t bear him saying it aloud are the ones now pretending to miss him. Save your sympathy, dear Opposition. The man you couldn’t silence has left on his terms—and with his head held high.
