Former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, on Monday after he fainted twice last week, officials said. According to sources, Dhankhar collapsed twice in the washroom on January 10. He was taken to AIIMS on Monday, where doctors advised hospitalisation for further examination, including an MRI scan, to determine the cause of the episodes. Officials noted that Dhankhar has a history of similar fainting incidents during public engagements in the past, including events held in the Rann of Kutch, Uttarakhand, Kerala and Delhi, when he was serving as Vice President. Dhankhar resigned from the post of Vice President on July 21, citing health reasons.
Resignation Timing Raises Questions
His resignation came on the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, during which he had presided over the Rajya Sabha proceedings earlier in the day. The resignation letter was later made public through the Vice President’s official X account. The sudden nature of the move had prompted questions from opposition leaders and political analysts, with some suggesting factors beyond health concerns. Separately, reports had emerged recently that Dhankhar had not been allotted a government residence even five months after stepping down.
Post-Retirement Entitlements And Housing
According to his close associates, he wrote to the Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs on August 22, requesting the official residence earmarked for former Vice Presidents. Under government rules, a former Vice President is entitled to several post-retirement benefits, including a monthly pension of ₹2 lakh, a Type 8 government bungalow, the services of a personal secretary, an additional personal secretary, a personal assistant, a doctor, a nursing officer and four support staff. After the former Vice President’s death, the spouse is eligible for a smaller Type 7 government residence.