Mumbai, March 5 : The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) on Thursday said former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankharâ??s resignation, given abruptly, reflected a broader trend of undermining constitutional posts, and as he begins to speak again, the nation awaits further clarification on what truly transpired behind closed doors in Parliament on the day of his resignation.

"The former VP, who vanished from the public eye following his sudden resignation last year, in his recent speech in Rajasthan, claimed that he never stepped down due to health reasons, contradicting the government's official narrative. Breaking his long silence at an event in Churu, Rajasthan, last week, Dhankhar appeared in good health and directly refuted the medical justification for his exit," the Uddhav Thackeray's party said in its mouthpiece 'Saamana'

An editorial in Saamana quoted Dhankhar as saying, â??A healthy body is the first source of happiness. I have never neglected my health. While resigning, I never said that I was ill. This revelation suggests that he may have signed the resignation letter under duress. The editorial said that the sudden move to oust Dhankhar may have been triggered by his private interactions with opposition parties. It alleged that accounts of 'explosive exchanges' from these meetings reached Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, leading to the decision that the Vice President required "immediate rest".

â??Many in the country's cabinet are not in good health. Yet, many of these individuals remain in the government. Despite being involved in various 'scandals', everyone is clinging to their positions. There is a visible trend of appointing pliable people of one's choice to these posts, and throwing them out the moment they show a 'stiff' spine,â?? said the editorial.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena said that the court rulings suggest that institutions like the CBI, which "illegally" arrested Kejriwal and his associates, are not in good mental health.

â??Union Minister Puri's name appeared in the 'Epstein Files', but the government hasn't taken his resignation or sent him home yet. But Modi-Shah carried out the programme of sending Vice President Dhankhar home overnight. After the Pulwama and Pahalgam attacks, the Prime Minister and Home Minister had no moral right to remain in their posts, yet they remain. However, Dhankhar's tenure as Vice President was cut short, and he was sent into exile. The government cited health reasons for this move,â?? it remarked.

According to the editorial, now that Dhankhar has recovered through self-treatment and reappeared, it is good. He must now provide the country with information about his health and his treatment over the last six months. He should also shed light on what happened behind the scenes and in his parliamentary office on July 25 last year when he resigned.

/IANS