Amid rumours, Sanjay Raut asks Amit Shah about Dhankhar’s whereabouts
The Shiv Sena MP expressed concern about the former Vice President's safety and well-being after his resignation on July 21
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday (August 11) inquiring about the whereabouts of former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar. Expressing concern about the safety and well-being of Dhankhar, Raut claimed that there were rumours that Dhankhar was confined to his residence and was reportedly not safe.
Raut further stated that attempts to reach Dhankhar have been unsuccessful and that there has been no information on his whereabouts ever since he resigned on July 21.
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“However, what is even more shocking and disturbing is the fact that from July 21 till today, there has been no information about the whereabouts of our Vice President. What is his current location? How is his health? There is no clarity on these matters,” wrote Raut.
The Shiv Sena MP also said that some Rajya Sabha MPs had tried to meet Dhankhar but were unsuccessful, adding that some of his colleagues in the Rajya Sabha were planning to file a habeas corpus petition in the Supreme Court to get information about his whereabouts.
“Some members of the Rajya Sabha attempted to contact him but were unsuccessful. There has been no communication with him or his staff, which is a matter of grave concern,” stated Raut.
“In fact some colleagues from the Rajya Sabha are even contemplating to file a writ petition of Habeas Corpus in the Supreme Court, as we are genuinely worried about the whereabouts of Shri. Dhankar and whether he is safe and healthy,” he added.
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Questions ‘health issues’
According to media reports, soon after Dhankhar’s resignation, three senior Opposition leaders tried to meet Dhankhar but were not given appointments. Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) veteran Sharad Pawar and some Aam Aadmi Party leaders who sought appointments with Dhankhar.
Raut also questioned whether “health issues” were the actual reason behind Dhankhar's resignation, stating that on July 21, Dhankhar ran the Rajya Sabha proceedings in the usual manner and even got involved in a verbal interaction with Kharge, after which the Upper House proceedings were adjourned for the day.
“There was a verbal altercation between him and the Leader of the Opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge, after which the House proceedings were adjourned for the day. This suggests that the Chairman's health was fine at that time,” wrote Raut.
“However, after 6 p.m. on the same day, it was announced that the Vice President had resigned from his post, citing health reasons. This was shocking for everyone,” he added.