Mr Dhankhar said it is not right to drag a person holding a constitutional post into politics. (File)

Laxmangarh (Rajasthan):

After Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot questioned Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar over his frequent visits to the poll-bound state, the latter said that it is not right to drag a person holding a constitutional post unnecessarily into politics.

In an apparent reply to the Rajasthan chief minister, Mr Dhankhar said that there must be respect for constitutional positions.

“Some people are saying why are you coming here again and again… I do not expect, people in authority to make statements in light of constitutional positions. This is not good for democracy. There must be respect for constitutional positions and all of us in togetherness, hand in hand, in collaboration and coordination with a consensual approach, have to serve the people at large…” the Vice President said while addressing the students and faculty members of Mody University of Science and Technology in Laxmangarh.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has lashed out at Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on several occasions over his frequent visits to the poll-bound state.

However, Mr Dhankhar further said, “It is our country, we all are servants of this country whatever be our position, right from the President down the line up to the chief minister. We must be very sensitive, we should not generate such a public perception that a person holding a constitutional post should be unnecessarily dragged into politics, it is not right.”

Mr Dhankhar also recited a poem written by him, “Khata kya ki humne, pata hi nahi! Aapatti kyo hai unhe hamare ghar aane ki, pata hi nahi! Ye kaisa manzar hai, samjh se pare hai, Sawaliya nishan kyo hai apne ghar aane me, Kya julm hai? Pata hi nahi!”

The poem refers to someone having a problem with him going to their home. 

Addressing a programme in Jaipur, Mr Gehlot had said in September, “The Vice President is doing up-down (between Delhi and Rajasthan). Whether it is the Governor or the Vice President, we respect them… but elections are here.”

“Politicians should come but please do not send the Vice President, it is a Constitutional post. We respect the President and the Vice President. Yesterday the Vice President came and visited five districts. Is there any logic? It is election season. If you come now it will send all kinds of messages which is not good for democracy,” he had said later. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)