Since the day of his resignation as Vice-President, Jagdeep Dhankhar has been spending quiet time at the Vice-Presidential Enclave in central Delhi and is meeting no one.AdvertisementSources said he had been packing his belongings and intends to vacate the newly built the enclave as soon as possible. He is entitled to a type VIII government bungalow.The sources also said no notice of vacation of the V-P house had been received even though intense speculation was underway about the same all day. “No such notice has come until 10 pm today,” said a source.Will get full benefits post-retirementJagdeep Dhankhar’s term may have ended prematurely, but since he served for more than two years, he remains entitled to full suite of post-retirement benefitsHe will receive a monthly pension of over Rs 2 lakh, equivalent to half the current salary of the sitting Vice PresidentThis includes a rent-free, fully furnished Type-VIII bungalow in Lutyens’ Delhi. The government will continue to pay for his electricity, water, and even telephone chargesIn other important remarks, sources familiar with developments related to the V-P in the Rajya Sabha on Monday said Dhankhar had intimated the President House of his arrival when he went there on July 21 evening to tender his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu.”So it is hard to say if such a visit could be termed as unscheduled. Intimation was there,” said a source privy to the goings-on of July 21. Some reports have termed Dhankhar’s visit to Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday evening unscheduled, one that sent the President House in a tizzy.It is further learnt that the former V-P had been concerned about a lack of appropriate protocol at home and abroad.Sections have referred to Dhankhar being highly protocol conscious during his travels and making his consciousness known too.He had in fact once stated publicly that he was a “sufferer of protocol lapses”.Referring to the issue where Chief Justice of India BR Gavai had red-flagged protocol lapses during a visit to Maharashtra in May, Dhankhar had said, “As the present CJI said, we must believe in protocol… When he indicated it was not personal, it was for the position he holds. And I am sure this will be kept in mind by one and all. In a sense, I am also a sufferer, you have seen the photograph of the President and the Prime Minister but not of the V-P. Once I demit office, I will ensure that my successor has a photograph.”As for the event marking his exit, the sources said it was the culmination of festering ties between Dhankhar and the ruling establishment.They attribute this unease to Dhankhar’s progressive arrogation to himself of powers beyond what befits a ceremonial office and what some BJP leaders described as “his unilateral ways”.Ultimately, the threat of an unnamed motion (being interpreted in BJP circles as a removal motion) may have triggered Dhankhar’s decision to resign on Monday evening after the government drew a red line following his acceptance of a solely Opposition-led motion to remove Justice Yashwant Varma, who is facing corruption charges in the cash discovery case.The sources further indicated that the souring of ties was gradual, and from March onwards, Dhankhar’s engagement with foreign counterparts began reducing to the point that there was no call on at the V-P Enclave. Dhankhar’s foreign trips were also curtailed parallel to this.
Dhankhar spending quiet days at V-P house, meeting no one
