NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday joined some other opposition members who have taken potshots at the Modi government, stating that former Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar has "gone missing since July 21 evening" and is "unseen, unheard, unread" and claimed that according to Telugu media, the former Vice President met Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently for 45 minutes.
"The immediate former Chairman of the Rajya Sabha has gone missing since the evening of July 21st--unseen, unheard, unread. But according to the Telugu media, the former Chairman of the Rajya Sabha met the PM very recently for 45 minutes. What is going on?" he asked in a post on X.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah concerning Jagdeep Dhankar.
"What exactly has happened to our Vice President (Jagdeep Dhankhar)? Where is he? How is his health? Is he safe? The nation deserves to know the truth about these questions," Raut said in a post on X.
Dhankhar resigned from his post on July 21, citing health reasons.
Raut said in his letter that rumours are circulating in Delhi that Dhankhar has been confined to his residence and is reportedly not safe.
"In fact, some colleagues from the Rajya Sabha are even contemplating filing a writ petition of Habeas Corpus in the Supreme Court, as we are genuinely worried about the whereabouts of Dhankar and whether he is safe and healthy," the letter read.
Earlier on Saturday, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal said that the whereabouts of former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar have not been known since his resignation and demanded that Union Home Minister Amit Shah issue a statement on the matter.
"After his resignation, we do not know anything about his whereabouts. I had previously heard about the 'Laapataa Ladies,' but this is the first time I have heard about the 'Laapataa' vice president," Sibal told reporters.
The process has started for choosing the next Vice President with election slated to take place on September 9.