Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar emphasized upon the need for a functional Parliament, accountability, and dialogue in governance. He also sought the need to counter anti-India narratives and focus on transparency and accountability in the government.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has said that "disturbance has been weaponized in the temples of democracy that should be functional 24x7 to ensure justice to the people at large". During the Centenary Year Convocation of Jamia Millia Islamia at Vigyan Bhawan, Vice President Dhankhar emphasized the necessity of a fully functional Parliament without any excuses for inactivity. He highlighted the significance of Question Hour in promoting accountability and transparency in governance, expressing concern over disruptions that hinder this crucial mechanism.
Dhankhar stressed the importance of preventing disagreements from turning into hostility and urged dialogue and discussion as the way forward. "Turning disagreement into hostility is no less than a curse for democracy. Opposition should not turn into revenge,” he said.
Noting India's transformation from the 'Fragile Five' to the 'Top Five' economies globally, the Vice President acknowledged the challenges accompanying remarkable growth. He warned against pernicious forces seeking to undermine institutions and the nation's growth story, encouraging young minds to take initiative and counter such forces.
'Foreign universities propagating anti-India narratives'
The vice president raised concerns about foreign universities propagating anti-India narratives, cautioning students to be inquisitive and objective when dealing with such situations. He urged them to neutralize and challenge misinformation, preventing the spread of anti-India narratives.
"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 an anti-India narrative. Such misinformation can’t be allowed to be traded freely," he said.
'Stakeholders in corruption have converged into a group'
Transparency and accountability remained the government's primary focus, with corruption, middlemen, and power brokers finding no place in the system. Dhankhar highlighted the need to confront corruption and stressed that street demonstrations challenging the rule of law were not conducive to good governance.
“That being so, stakeholders in corruption have converged into a group. They are marshalling 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.”
The Vice President found solace in the fact that escape routes for violators of the law engaged in corruption had been largely blocked.
