VIBE CHECK: Indian VP Dhankhar’s Sudden Resignation Sparks Opposition Offensive

Indian Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s sudden resignation has provided fresh momentum to the Opposition’s ongoing campaign against the PM Narendra Modi government, especially on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood. 

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and top leaders of the INDIA alliance have intensified their demand for the restoration of full statehood to J&K. 

Image Source: INC India

Protests have been held at Jantar Mantar, with Congress accusing the government of democratic backsliding and betrayal. Party leaders argue that the Modi government made multiple promises -- in Parliament, in public, and even in its Supreme Court affidavit -- to restore statehood after elections but has failed to follow through.

The issue of Jammu and Kashmir has taken center stage in the Opposition’s strategy for this session, with leaders citing the 2019 abrogation of Article 370 and the downgrade of the state into a Union Territory as a historic injustice. 

Ten months after the 2024 assembly elections -- which were held under Supreme Court directives -- the government remains silent on the issue of statehood. 

Congress leaders say the time for excuses is over and that the government must introduce and pass a bill restoring statehood before the end of this session.

The Congress has also pointed to alarming incidents of suppression, including the shutdown of its Srinagar office on July 19 and barricading of peaceful protests in Jammu on July 21. These actions, they argue, show the Modi government’s fear of dissent and democratic engagement in the region. 

They have launched the ‘Hamari Riyasat, Hamara Haq’ campaign, holding district-level conferences and demanding justice for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

As the government defers debate on Operation Sindoor -- which concerns the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam -- the Opposition has accused the Prime Minister of evading accountability. 

With Prime Minister Modi now scheduled to visit the UK and Maldives from July 23 to 26, critics argue that Parliament and national security issues should take precedence over diplomatic travel. 

The Pahalgam attack, which resulted in civilian deaths, is being cited as a reminder of intelligence and policy failures in the region. The INDIA bloc leaders had identified Operation Sindoor, J&K statehood, Manipur, electoral reforms, and China tensions as key priorities for this session, but the government has resisted debate and direct Prime Ministerial accountability, they allege.

Dhankhar’s resignation has thus become both a symbol and a catalyst -- reflecting what the Opposition claims is a larger pattern of institutional disregard, policy betrayal, and authoritarian centralization under the Modi administration. 

His exit on the very first day of Parliament has shifted the spotlight firmly onto the government’s handling of both internal governance and its parliamentary responsibilities. 

With Independence Day approaching and the session resuming thereafter, the Opposition is preparing for a prolonged and high-stakes confrontation in Parliament -- determined to keep statehood, security, and constitutional values at the center of the national conversation.