Street demonstrations to challenge rule of law is not hallmark of good governance and democracy — Vice President

The Vice President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar today emphasised that democracy is all about dialogue, discussion, deliberation and debate, and called disruption & disturbance antithetical to democratic values. He also expressed his pain and concern over the fact that “disturbance has been weaponized in the temples of democracy that should be functional 24*7 to ensure justice to the people at large.”

Calling upon everyone to act to preserve and sustain the essence of democratic values, Shri Dhankhar underlined that there can be no alibi for not making Parliament functional every second. Stating that the people of this country are paying a huge price for it, he highlighted, “When there is disruption in parliament on a particular day, there can’t be Question Hour. Question Hour is a mechanism to generate accountability and transparency in governance. The Government is obligated to respond to every question. This goes to enormous benefit of the government. Not having question hour can never be rationalized when you think in terms of democratic values and good governance.”

Addressing the Centenary Year Convocation of Jamia Millia Islamia at Vigyan Bhawan today, the Vice President underlined that disagreement and dissent are natural part of democratic process, but “turning disagreement into hostility is no less than a curse for democracy.” Cautioning that ‘opposition’ should not turn into ‘revenge’, Shri Dhankhar suggested dialogue and discussion as the only way forward.

Noting that the nation has transformed itself from being among the ‘Fragile Five’ economies to being among the ‘Top Five’ economies in the world today, the Vice President said that with India’s remarkable growth, there are bound to be challenges too. “Your progress can’t be to the liking of everyone. There are pernicious forces with sinister designs to taint, tarnish and demean your institutions and growth story,” he said while exhorting the young minds to take initiatives and neutralize such forces.

Referring to some foreign universities, VP said that they have become breeding grounds to set afloat anti India narrative on untenable grounds. Cautioning that such institutions also use our students and faculty members for their narrow agenda, he asked the students to be inquisitive and focus on objectivity when dealing with such situations. “It is surprising that those who had the occasion to serve this country in one position or other, the moment they lose their position, they turn Nelson’s eye to the great advancement that our country is making all around. I urge young bright students to neutralize and decimate such anti-India narrative. Such misinformation can’t be allowed to be traded freely,” he stressed.

Describing transparency and accountability as the main focus area of the present government, Shri Dhankhar said that corruption, middle men and power brokers find no place today. “That being so, stakeholders in corruption have converged into a group. They are marshaling all forces to find cover and escape,” he highlighted while adding that “street demonstrations to challenge rule of law is not a hallmark of good governance and democracy of our nature.”

VP further said that corruption as antithetical to equitable growth and equal opportunities, and found it soothing to note that “all escape routes of violators of law engaged in corruption have been largely plugged.”

Congratulating all passing out students for entering a new phase in their lives, the Vice President emphasised the need for students to become innovators and entrepreneurs so that our young students emerge as job creators rather than job seekers.

Stating that it is not in national interest to compromise economic nationalism for fiscal gain, Shri Dhankhar called upon the youth to “fully subscribe and immerse themselves in economic nationalism.”

While emphasising on academic achievements, the Vice President also called for linking education to larger societal growth for knowledge to serve its true purpose. “The empowerment of human resources is a vital ingredient in nation building. The youth today have to empower themselves not by political intoxication but through the mechanism of capacity building and personality development,” he added.

Praising the NEP-2020 for providing greater flexibility and bringing joy of learning, VP expressed confidence that this visionary policy will catalyze to the big change. Noting that in some parts of the country, there is a requirement of adopting this policy, he expressed hope that everyone will be able to reap the benefits of this policy.

Calling every citizen as the trustee of the country’s natural resources, the Vice President called for equitable distribution of these resources. “Let’s have a culture that utilisation of natural resources would be optimum, as per your need, not as per your financial capacity,” he added.

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of Education; and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Prof. Najma Akhtar, Vice-Chancellor, Jamia Millia Islamia University, faculty, students and other eminent personalities were present on the occasion.

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