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Gaurav Gogoi: Dhankhar’s Resignation Reveals Tensions with Government; Congress Committed to Upholding Constitutional Dignity
In an interview with The Indian Express, Congress Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi spoke candidly on several pressing issues, including the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, the sudden resignation of Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, and the removal motion against Justice Yashwant Varma.
On the Bihar Electoral Roll Revision
When asked about the Opposition’s demand for a discussion on the electoral roll revision in Bihar, Gogoi said the government has shown no signs of cooperation:
“We haven’t received any indication from the government about their willingness to discuss this matter. It concerns the very foundation of our democracy—every citizen’s right to vote. While they claim openness to debate in public, behind closed doors they’ve refused to even acknowledge this as a discussion point.”
Regarding who should respond during a parliamentary debate, considering the Election Commission (EC) is conducting the revision, Gogoi said:
“It’s the government's responsibility to decide that. Our focus is on ensuring a discussion takes place. We would be failing in our duty if we allowed the government to manipulate the voting process unchecked.”
On the Resignation of Vice-President Dhankhar
Addressing the surprise resignation of Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Gogoi suggested that there may be underlying tensions between the government and the Vice-President:
“We’ve had principled disagreements with the Honourable Vice-President over Rajya Sabha proceedings. For us, both the dignity of Constitutional posts and the values of Parliamentary democracy are non-negotiable. The abrupt resignation and Prime Minister Modi’s cryptic tweets point to discomfort and possibly a power struggle. If relations were smooth, the government would have been aware of the V-P’s intentions, and a graceful transition would have occurred.”
He added:
“The Congress will continue to defend the dignity of this Constitutional office, especially when it’s held by a son of a farmer.”
On the Motion to Remove Justice Yashwant Varma
Gogoi also addressed the government's initiation of a motion to remove Justice Yashwant Varma in the Lok Sabha, and the Opposition’s introduction of a similar motion in the Rajya Sabha:
“Once the issue surfaced, the Opposition convened to evaluate the available options. In the Lok Sabha, we backed the motion, and also took the lead in initiating one in the Rajya Sabha.”
Regarding reports that the Samajwadi Party (SP), a key ally, isn’t supporting the motion, Gogoi clarified:
“We remain in close communication with the SP on all major issues—whether it's the situation in Pahalgam, Operation Sindoor, or the Bihar electoral roll revision. Coordination continues on matters requiring urgent national attention.”
