Former Law Minister Kapil Sibal Asks Amit Shah To Address Concerns On Well-Being Of 'Laapata Vice President' Jagdeep Dhankhar

New Delhi: Former Law Minister and Rajya Sabha member Kapil Sibal on Saturday took a jibe at former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar stating he had heard of 'Laapataa Ladies' but not 'laapataa (absent) vice president'.

Sibal urged Home Minister Amit Shah to issue a statement on Dhankhar to address concerns on his health and well-being. Dhankhar had resigned as the vice president on July 21, the first day of the monsoon session of Parliament, citing health reasons. But Opposition leaders claimed he was forced to resign.

"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," Sibal said.

"So, I have heard of 'Laapataa Ladies' but I have never heard of 'laapataa vice president'," Sibal said while referring to the film directed by Kiran Rao, which was India's official entry to the Oscars.

Dhankhar was the vice president and he supported the government throughout his tenure, but it now seems the Opposition will have to protect him, Sibal said, taking a swipe at the government. "What should we do? Should we file a habeas corpus?" he said.

"The home ministry would be aware of his whereabouts and Amit Shah should give a statement on where he is, because even his health was not good", Sibal said. He further asked whether Dhankhar is undergoing treatment. "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," he said.

Sibal said he had good personal relations with 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," the former Union minister said.

In a post on X, he asked, "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 wrote.

Dhankhar, 74, assumed office in August 2022 and his tenure was till 2027. He was also the chairman of the Rajya Sabha and his resignation came on the first day of the Monsoon session of Parliament. Dhankhar had recently undergone angioplasty at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi.

In his eventful tenure as the Rajya Sabha chairman, Dhankhar had several run-ins with the opposition, which had also moved a motion to impeach him. The motion, the first time ever in independent India to remove a vice president, was later rejected by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh.

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