India does not need any sermons from anyone on this planet on the point of equality – Vice President
Some countries are yet to have a women president, we had a women Prime Minister
long before - VP
CAA not discriminatory, it provides reprieve, healing touch to persecuted
minorities in our neighbourhood - VP
Every Indian proud of our Navy’s accomplishment in anti-piracy operations - VP
VP asked the civil servants to work with SevaBhav and Samanubhuti
VP addresses the 2023 Batch IAS Officer Trainees at the conclusion of Phase-I
of their Professional Course at LBSNAA
The Vice
President, Jagdeep Dhankhar today asserted that India does not need any sermons
from anyone on this planet on the point of equality as we have always believed
in it. Asking the countries to look within, he highlighted that “some countries
are yet to have a women president, while we had a women Prime Minister before
even UK had. Supreme Court in other countries completed 200 years without a
woman judge, but we have. ”Cautioning against the false narrative and
misinformation being set afloat about the Citizenship Amendment Act, Dhanhkar
underlined that CAA neither seeks to deprive any Indian citizen of his or her
citizenship, nor it excludes anyone from applying for Indian citizenship as
before. Mentioning that CAA facilitates acquisition of Indian citizenship for
minorities in the neighbouring countries, VP asked “How can this reprieve,
healing touch to those persecuted in our neighbourhood on account of their
religious commitment be discriminatory?” Noting that CAA applies to those who arrived
in India on or before 31 December 2014, he emphasized that it is not an
invitation to influx. “We have to neutralize these narratives. These emanate
not out of ignorance, but out of a strategy to run down our nation,” he
cautioned.
Addressing the 2023 Batch IAS Officer Trainees
at the conclusion of Phase-I of their Professional Course at Lal Bahadur
Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie today, he called upon the
young minds to rebuff such “strategized orchestration of factually untenable
anti national narratives aimed at tainting and tarnishing our glorified and
robust constitutional bodies.”
Stating that governance has taken a turn for the
better in recent years, the Vice-President said that privileged pedigree is now
sulking in the bye lanes. “Democratic values and essence is deepening as
equality before law is being enforced in exemplary manner and corruption is
no longer a trading commodity. Earlier this was the only mechanism to passage
to a contract, recruitment, opportunity,” he added.
Stating that some privileged pedigree earlier
thought that they were immune to legal process and law cannot reach them, VP
questioned, “how can someone in a democratic country like ours be more equal
than others?” This Equality before law that had eluded us for long and
corruption that was running into the veins of administration like blood are now
matters of past, he told the young officers while recognizing the contributions
of the civil servants to this revolution.
Praising that our power corridors have
been sanitized of corrupt elements who extra legally leveraged decision making,
the Vice President noted that the country has been pulled out of
despondency. India has become a land of hope and possibility.
Stating that there is upbeat mood all over the nation, VP asserted that “India
is no longer a nation with a potential or a sleeping giant. It is on the move.”
Highlighting that our global image has been on
the rise, Dhankhar said that hardly a week passes when our Navy has not
performed to save the supply chains or to rescue victims of piracy. Every
Indian would be proud of their accomplishment, he added.
The greatest challenge to our democratic polity
is emanating from those who have long been part of dispensation, have held
positions of authority, had the occasion to contribute to the development of
the nation and once out of authority or power have poor appetite for growth
trajectory of the nation. The need some rebuff from young mind
Cautioning that nothing can be more challenging
to democracy than an informed mind knowing full well the subject makes a wrong
statement to monetise ignorance of the people, VP called for exposing such
people. “Some individuals who have held positions of authority, once out of
authority or power have poor appetite for growth trajectory of the nation,” he
added.
In his address, the Vice President told the IAS probationers people look up to them as role models. “You have to exemplify by actions that are worth emulating, inspiring and motivating young minds and eliciting admiration of the elders in any capacity, he added.
Describing our civilizational values as
their guiding principle, VP asked the young officers to “work with SevaBhav and
Samanubhuti - sense of service and empathy.”
Lt Gen Gurmit Singh, Governor, Uttarakhand, Sriram Taranikanti, Director, Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.