High Walls That Surround High Offices

Vice presidents have openly spoken their mind in the past, too. But as a constitutional figurehead, Jagdeep Dhankhar's regular contributions to political chatter crossed a line

- SUGATA SRINIVASARAJU

ICE President Jagdeep Dhankhar's resignation was a kind of cold play. He left for home on Monday evening in control of his keys, but could not enter his office the next day. They must have sent his personal stuff home, but he may not have had access to all his papers.

One doesn't know if Dhankhar kept a diary and made notes after chairing Rajya Sabha sessions. One wonders if he recorded his spats with all their provocation and rancour, and after meeting colleagues and dignitaries, bending his tall figure to make hushed conversations. He is a trained lawyer, but one is not sure if he was so clinically organised like Richard Nixon in these matters. If he did keep a diary and had kept it in his office, it may have suddenly become State property.

Dhankhar was left with no time to secure anything, least of all his legacy. There was such swiftness in the operation that the dismissal was instantly made to wear the cloak of voluntary exit. Although as per the book he could not be sacked by the government, it appears a threat of impeachment was enough to secure his signature on a rather politically-correct draft where everybody was thanked and a health contingency was invoked.

Dhankhar was domineering, confrontational and articulate, qualities that did not sit well in either his earlier role as West Bengal governor or as vice president. Both by the Constitution and convention, they are conceived as elderly, mentoring roles. They are not meant to hold the steering wheel of government, but are thought of as permanent stand-by roles in the event of a constitutional crisis. They do not put a final seal on anything, only step in temporarily. However, their placement in ceremony and protocol tends to create a grand delusion that they are important.