- yesterday
In this edition of Newstrack, the focus is on the sudden resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and the political suspense surrounding his exit.
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00:00big intrigue over dhankar's sudden exit
00:09dhankar quits questions loom
00:16was center miffed with dhankar
00:30did dhankar jump the gun on impeachment it meets the numerical requirement for removal
00:40of a high court judge dhankar center friction led to step down
00:47dhankar resignation suspense that is our top focus on news track
00:56good evening you're watching news track here on india today i'm akshita nanda gopal and yes over
01:03the next 30 minutes we'll get you all of the details of what our sources are telling us
01:07about the circumstances in which jacob dhankar has resigned it's been 24 hours now since he
01:13officially resigned sending across that letter to the president and so more details have emerged about
01:18what exactly transpired was it friction between the government between the center and jacob dhankar
01:24that led to him taking that step of resigning as the vice president we'll get you all of those
01:28details let's begin with the headlines
01:35did dhankar resign or was he eased out by the modi government as vice president speculation
01:42if justice varma's impeachment was at the heart of the exit controversy
01:54mha accepts dhankar's resignation but there will be no farewell speech for the outgoing
01:59vice president politics escalates over exit congress claims
02:03that there's a lot more than what meets the eye bjp hits back
02:13income tax tribunals set back to congress party to pay tax on income of 199 crore received in 2017
02:19and 2018 congress had referred to it as donation money claimed it was exempt from taxation
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03:02it was exactly at 4 07 pm on july 21st yesterday when vice president jagdeep dhankar
03:09dropped a political bombshell in the rajasaba announcing an impeachment motion against two
03:14judges including of course justice yashwant varma backed by 63 opposition mps the move
03:20seemingly caught the government completely off guard triggering a wave of damage control meetings
03:25and also exposing cracks within the ruling establishment many believe that what i'm
03:30referring to about what happened at 4 07 pm yesterday in the rajasaba that moment was the actual tipping
03:36point that led to dhankar's shock resignation just hours later what are we talking about what exactly
03:43happened in those five or more hours which ultimately led to dhankar resigning all the details in our
03:49report first whether a similar motion this is the most viral speech of jagdeep dhankar who unexpectedly
03:58resigned from the post of vice president
04:04i need to inform you
04:05the question is did the countdown of jagdeep dhankar's resignation begin with this very speech
04:27to constitute a statutory committee for removal of justice ashwant varma judge of the high court of
04:37judicature at rajasthan at alabad in his 12 minute speech what exactly did dhankar say that irked the government
04:46it is signed by more than 50 members
04:57of the council of states
05:00and thus
05:03it meets the numerical requirement
05:07of signing by members of parliament for setting in motion a process for removal
05:20of a high court judge
05:21on monday two bark meetings were held the first took place at 12 30 pm attended by union ministers
05:29kiran rejiju and jp nadda however when the meeting was reconvened at 4 30 pm these leaders were notably
05:37absent that explained for our gap has become central to the political drama widely believed to be tipping
05:45point behind dhankar's resignation in the timeline leading to his resignation 2 pm stands out as a
05:54crucial moment at that time vice president dhankar accepted notices from opposition mps regarding the
06:01impeachment motion against justice yashwant varma the motion indicated there are 55 members seeking
06:10removal but actually it was not 55 it was only 54 so obviously an inquiry was conducted to find out from the
06:21member who had signed twice allegedly the honorable member declined his second signature
06:32and that made the matter a little more serious
06:35because it was required of me then to get to the bottom of the issue and find out
06:45whether the representation was meriting consideration
06:52exactly two hours later at 4 0 7 pm dhankar publicly announced the notice in the rajasabha signed by 63
07:00opposition mps this announcement from the chair created an awkward moment for the government
07:08sources say the government was completely blindsided they weren't informed and had they been ruling
07:15party mps would have likely signed on too this announcement from the chair created an awkward moment
07:22for the government leading to internal friction thus dhankar's failure to brief the government on the
07:28motion against justice varma became the turning point after the house was adjourned dhankar reportedly
07:36instructed secretary general to proceed formally with the notice notably dhankar is a constitutional expert
07:44and a strong advocate for judicial reforms
07:47judges judges who will legislate who will perform executive functions
07:58who will act as super parliament
08:02and absolutely have no accountability because
08:06law of the land does not apply to them
08:08his stance evidently did not sit well with the government as seen during the heated debate on
08:15operation sindoor where jp nanda strongly intervened despite sitting in the chair
08:23operation sindoor
08:24i am not going into i am not going into the details of it but i would like to tell you
08:46but i would like to tell you
08:53nothing will go on record whatever i'll say that will go on record you should know
08:58at 4 0 7 pm on monday dhankar's handling of the impeachment motion deepened the rift with the
09:04government this strained relationship is believed to be the reason why jp nanda and kiran riji ju skipped
09:12the later bark meeting the government felt that while it was advancing its campaign to remove justice
09:18varma dhankar's sudden move in the rajasaba disrupted their plan much to the opposition's delight
09:26this was seen as a setback to the government's strategy following this bjp mps were summoned to
09:32rajna singh's office to secure the signatures and allied party mps were also called in everyone was
09:40strictly instructed not to discuss the matter with the media and to remain in delhi for the next four
09:46days by evening the government had shifted into damage control in a striking twist at 5 pm opposition
09:55mp's promote diwari and akhilesh prasad singh met dhankar and senior congress leader jairam ramesh
10:02spoke to him by phone at 7 30 pm despite growing opposition dhankar remained unaware of
10:10the political storm building against him and in this tense fast-moving atmosphere he resigned
10:21in the corridors of power where strategy and loyalty often collide jagdeep dhankar's dramatic
10:27exit is a reminder even the highest offices are not immune to the undercurrents of politics
10:33vice president jagdeep dhankar dropped a political bombshell by announcing that the opposition had
10:41submitted a notice for the removal of justice varma this even before the looks of our speaker could
10:48have made an announcement of receiving a joint notice by the ruling and opposition party mps in the lower
10:55house this undid the government's effort that worked tirelessly behind the scenes over its strategy
11:03to get the opposition on board and sign a notice for the removal of justice varma it seemed to hand
11:10over victory to the opposition even if it was momentary with video journalist deepak bish this is maus
11:18missing in delhi for india today so what's the differences with the central government over the
11:25manner in which uh jagdeep dhankar yesterday in the rajasabha moved forward with the impeachment proceedings
11:31with opposition signatures not necessarily with the government is that what led to him resigning as the
11:37vice president amid all of the speculation mind you the opposition today is in fact campaigning for
11:44dhankar raising questions about his resignation questioning the government but previously they've
11:49labeled him as a biased as a pro-government leader as well let's highlight for you what jagdeep dhankar
11:56as vice president what his relationship was like with the modi government there were times when he's
12:01challenged the government defending judicial independence even questioning the center on farmer issues here's
12:07a look at his rather dynamic relationship with the central government over the last few years
12:12this was less than three years ago when an emotional jagdeep dhankar was welcomed to the upper house of
12:33parliament by none less than the prime minister throughout his tenure dhankar had been dubbed to
12:40be too close to the bjp often towing the modi government's line his body language his praise of the prime minister
12:51his clashes with the opposition both as bengal governor and then as rajasabha chairperson all contributed to
12:58the pro-modi label dhankar had even stood firm with the center on several issues while defending even the rss in
13:09the house
13:13the rss
13:15or cubana
13:19tapaswi log
13:20He even faced an impeachment motion by the opposition in December last year, which was defeated.
13:47But this is just one side of Dhankar's legacy.
13:51He had also surprised many, including the centre, when he took a strong position against the judiciary.
13:57He raised an alarm over what he called judicial overreach, but had also defended the independence of the judiciary.
14:04Even during the farmers' protest, Dhankar had urged the centre to speak to the farmers.
14:10I am a father, and I don't know that the animals don't do anything.
14:20The animals should be the same as the animals should be the same as the animals should be.
14:25And we should all be aware of that.
14:28Was there any evidence from the farmers?
14:31Do you mean Kashi Mantri Ji?
14:33When you were the Kashi Mantri Ji, did he have given any evidence from the land?
14:40If he had given evidence, then what happened to him?
14:43So where did Jagdeep Dhankar really stand?
14:47A man in constitutional office perceived to be loyal to the regime, yet someone who hasn't shied away from calling out the government when he believed the democratic values or institutional boundaries were at stake.
14:59Is that ultimately what led to his abrupt exit from the chair?
15:04Here are a report, India Today.
15:09So now the process officially kicks off to choose the next vice president.
15:14A lot of names doing the rounds.
15:16We're not going to speculate here on India Today, because right now there is no clear contender or frontrunner.
15:21But let's take a look at what really the numbers look like.
15:24Remember that in the case of a vice president, it is an electoral college essentially.
15:29So candidate needs 392 votes to win.
15:32You look at the Rajasaba, it's a little challenging there for the NDA because remember the number of 392 votes.
15:39So the Rajasaba, the NDA has 133.
15:41The India Block has 78.
15:42Others are 29.
15:43So you need a candidate who essentially you get the opposition on board with over as well.
15:49In the Lok Sabha, the NDA doing a bit better there with 293.
15:53India Block at 234 and others at 15.
15:56So the total MPs is 426.
16:00India Block is at 312.
16:02Others at 44.
16:03So the number that's needed of 392, you've got the NDA passing that with 426.
16:09The total voting strength essentially is at 782.
16:13So you combine the Lok Sabha and the Rajasaba and the total MPs there, the 426 that we've highlighted of the NDA.
16:22That's the important number because what it means is that the NDA will be able to choose exactly who they want as the next vice president.
16:28As to who it will be in the coming days, we should hopefully have some sort of indication as to who is the frontrunner who's in contention.
16:36For now, there are several senior leaders' names that are doing the rounds.
16:41Well, the opposition has been in fact raising the issue of Dhankar's resignation.
16:48They pushed for his impeachment just months ago, just about six months ago.
16:52And now suddenly, Jagdeep Dhankar is at the center of the opposition's concern.
16:58His sudden resignation has triggered political tremors of the Congress hinting that there are deeper reasons.
17:03The BJP has dismissed it, saying it's all just pure drama.
17:16The political winds have shifted dramatically around Jagdeep Dhankar.
17:22A senior leader of your party, videographing another member of another party,
17:29mimicry of the chairman, mimicry of the speaker, how ridiculous, how shameful.
17:38Once branded by opposition as government's mouthpiece and targeted for impeachment.
17:44Dhankar now finds unexpected defenders within the opposition.
17:54Congress leaders are questioning Dhankar's sudden resignation as vice president,
18:11flagging the absence of Kiran Rajiju and J.P. Nadda from a key parliament meet he chaired on Monday.
18:18Jairam Ramesh says the Business Advisory Committee met at 12.30pm on Monday,
18:23with both ministers present.
18:26But when it reconvened at 4.30pm, they did not return.
18:30Dhankar then rescheduled the meeting on Tuesday.
18:34Congress believes something serious unfolded in that window.
18:39Congress claims after Dhankar's last meeting at 6.00pm,
18:44some BJP MPs were seen rushing to Rajnath Singh's office and claim they were made to sign blank papers.
18:51Shortly after, at 9.25pm, Dhankar surprisingly resigned.
18:57Of the union in the record, it was a problem.
19:01No matter how they would,
19:04they could not get rid of the bodily actions.
19:06And for that, you could be able to produce the children's office
19:09and put the children in the back of the week.
19:10Leader of Rajya Sabha, J.P. Nadda responded saying both he and Rijiju had informed Dhankar
19:39about their absence from the parliamentary meeting, insisting that he did not target
19:44the chair when he reprimanded unruly opposition benches.
19:52The BJP accused the opposition of double standards, questioning it for pushing for
20:01Dhankar's removal before and now suddenly rushing to his defence.
20:09This resignation has unleashed a storm of speculation, accusations and political drama, with much
20:28still left unsaid and unknown.
20:33With Aishwarya Paliwal and Moshami Singh in Delhi, Puro Report, India Today.
20:39Away from all of the questions over why and the circumstances in which Jagdeep Dhankar has resigned,
20:46let's take you through the next report where we kind of highlight what his tenure looked like.
20:51I'm leaving you with this one. Thanks for tuning in. Good night.
20:5320 days short of a three-year tenure. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar has tendered his resignation.
21:13Dhankar's tenure was marked by constitutional assertiveness, strong parliamentary interventions.
21:23A member of parliament, working as the institution of chairman, as an individual, take on me.
21:31Don't take on my background as a farmer.
21:34Global diplomatic footprints, defence advocacy, youth-centric messaging and calls for national unity.
21:45All terminating because of health reasons.
21:49But while he carried a legacy of legal acumen and assertion,
21:53the Vice President also brushed with controversy every now and then.
21:57In December last year, at least 60 opposition MPs of the India Bloc moved to impeach Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar,
22:11accusing him of being partisan in his role as Rajya Sabha chairperson.
22:15They all be helping as a chairman of the minister.........
22:35Teraz państ ч während moment
22:45In March, the vice president made yet another move that wasn't received well by the opposition.
22:52He dismissed a breach of privilege notice by the Congress against Home Minister Amit Shah.
23:04Criticizing the motion as a move to ruin reputations.
23:15Thankar also sparked controversy in April with his fierce criticism of the Supreme Court's judgment
23:24which set deadlines for the president to clear state assembly bills.
23:29Parliament is supreme. It is as supreme as every individual in the country.
23:37Part of we, the people, is an atom in democracy and that atom has atomic power.
23:44And that atomic power is reflected during elections.
23:50And that is why we are a democratic nation.
23:57Thankar's parliament rebukes have a history of their own.
24:00Who can forget this moment when TMC's Kalyan Banerjee imitated Thankar outside the parliament
24:05during an opposition protest as Rahul Gandhi captured the moment on camp.
24:10It sparked a sharp response from Thankar.
24:12Imagine a senior leader of your party videographing another member of another party.
24:24Mimicry of the chairman. Mimicry of the speaker.
24:28How ridiculous. How shameful. How unacceptable.
24:33Last July, the Rajasaba chairperson reprimanded Congress President Malik Arjun Khargay
24:39for undermining the chair's authority amid opposition protests.
24:42You cannot every time run down the chair. You cannot every time show disrespect to the chair.
24:50You may be sitting on the chair. And I remember when I went to school.
24:59In August, Thankar hit back at Samajwadi party MP Jaya Bachchan after she called his tone unacceptable.
25:06I don't want schooling. You may be anybody. You may be a celebrity. You have to understand the decorum.
25:14While spirited in parliament less than a year ago, the vice president was hospitalised weeks before the surprise announcement.
25:24He was admitted to Ames over cardiac-related ailments.
25:28Soon after, he fainted during an event in Uttarakhand and was advised to rest.
25:32It's been less than a month since then and the health scares now seem cues that have culminated to the vice president bowing out.
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