Kapil Sibal has demanded a public statement from Amit Shah on the sudden disappearance of former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar after his July resignation. Sibal says India has never seen such a situation in its democratic history.
New Delhi: Former Law Minister and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal has raised serious questions about the sudden disappearance of former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar after his resignation last month. Speaking to the media in New Delhi on Saturday, Sibal said that while he had heard of the film Laapataa Ladies, he had never heard of a “laapataa (absent) vice president.”
He demanded that Union Home Minister Amit Shah make a public statement to clarify Dhankhar’s current whereabouts and health condition.
Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from his post on July 21, the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, citing health reasons. His resignation came as a surprise, and opposition leaders have alleged that he was forced to step down.
According to Sibal, there has been no public sighting or confirmed information about Dhankhar’s condition since his resignation.
Sibal expressed concern, stating,
“On July 22, Jagdeep Dhankhar, our vice president, resigned, and it is August 9 today, and since that day, we just do not know where he is. He is not in his official residence. On the first day, I tried to contact him and his personal secretary picked up the phone and said he is resting.”
The senior advocate added that several of his political colleagues had also been unable to get in touch with Dhankhar.
“So, I have heard of Laapataa Ladies but I have never heard of ‘laapataa vice president’,”
he said, referencing the Kiran Rao-directed film which was India’s official entry to the Oscars.
Highlighting Dhankhar’s earlier close association with the government, Sibal remarked,
“He was the vice president and he supported the government throughout his tenure, but it now seems the opposition will have to protect him.”
He then asked pointedly,
“What should we do? Should we file a habeas corpus?”
Sibal stressed that the Home Ministry must know where Dhankhar is and that Amit Shah should clarify the matter, especially since Dhankhar had health issues.
He said,
“So, is he getting treatment done somewhere? People of his family have also not said anything. What is the issue? We had heard of such things only in other countries but India is democratic so such things should be in the public domain,”
Sibal also spoke of his personal rapport with Dhankhar, saying,
“I had very good personal relations with him (Dhankhar). He was a lawyer with me who argued many cases. I am concerned. It does not look nice that I go and file an FIR. There is no news from him, from his friends, family.”
Directing his appeal to the Home Minister, Sibal stated,
“I would like to urge the home minister, you have such resources, you send back Bangladeshis, he was, after all, our vice president, so you would know, so please give a statement on it (his whereabouts).”
In a post on X, Sibal wrote,
“Can we be informed: Where is he? Is he safe? Why is he incommunicado? Amit Shah ji should know! He was our Vice President, the country should be worried.”
He further noted that there is still some time before the vice-presidential election in September.
Sibal remarked,
“So, we have to find out if he is healthy. Nothing of this has ever happened in India’s history,”
Dhankhar, 74, assumed the office of Vice President in August 2022, and his tenure was supposed to last until 2027. He was also the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, where he had several confrontations with the opposition.
During his term, the opposition even moved a historic motion to impeach him – the first such attempt in independent India – though the motion was later rejected by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh.
In the weeks before his resignation, Dhankhar had undergone angioplasty at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi. His abrupt departure from public life has fueled speculation and concerns, with opposition leaders now demanding official clarification on his health and safety.
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