Former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar delivered his first public address on Friday in Bhopal, four months after his sudden, mid-term resignation from the country’s second-highest constitutional post in July 2025.
The occasion was the launch of the book ‘Hum Aur Yeh Vishva’ (We and This World), authored by senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) functionary Manmohan Vaidya.
Cryptic Comment on Duty
The former Vice President made a cryptic remark regarding his commitment to duty, which was widely interpreted as an allusion to the circumstances surrounding his abrupt departure from office, which he officially attributed to health reasons.
The comment came when a man approached him during the speech to remind him that he had a flight back to Delhi scheduled for 7:30 pm. Dhankhar addressed the audience and stated:
“I can’t skip my duty for catching a flight, and friends, my recent past is proof of it.”
The unexpected resignation in July, which came on the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, had left the political establishment puzzled, and Dhankhar’s public appearance has added intrigue rather than clarity regarding his exit.
Praise for the RSS and the Book
Dhankhar’s speech was centered on the book and the ideology of the RSS, signaling where his ideological sympathies lie after his public silence.
- Debunking Propaganda: Dhankhar praised Vaidya’s book for debunking what he called “long propaganda” and “continuously propagated myths” that portray the RSS as an ultra-right organization. He specifically mentioned the “baseless charge” that sought to link the RSS to the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.
- Civilizational Contest: He touched upon the current challenges facing the nation, including the growth of disruptive technologies (such as Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, Blockchain, and Machine Learning), information warfare, and a “civilizational contestation.”
- Drawing on Inheritance: Dhankhar asserted that the book urges India to draw on its deepest narratives and cultural inheritance, stating that faced with grim challenges, the book offers a “beacon of hope” that lies in falling back on India’s deepest inheritance.
Background of the Resignation
Dhankhar had stepped down as the Vice President of India in July this year, citing health reasons and the need to follow medical advice. In his resignation letter, he expressed gratitude to President Droupadi Murmu for her “unwavering support” and the “wonderfully harmonious working relationship” they shared.
He was succeeded by former Maharashtra governor C.P. Radhakrishnan, who won the vice presidential election in September. Dhankhar’s sudden exit, only two years into his term, had led to widespread speculation about the true reasons behind the move.