CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR: Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday said crores of people were living in India who did not have the right to live in the country.
“They are making their livelihood here, making demands on our resources, education, health and housing sectors. Now things have moved further. They are intervening in our electoral process and becoming a decisive part of it. Therefore, it is the duty of all of us to spread awareness so that every Indian will become aware of this,” Dhankhar said at the 65th convocation of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University (Bamu) in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
In an indirect reference to the US deportation of illegal Indian immigrants, Dhankhar wondered when such deportations would start in India. “The question must come to the minds of every Indian that such work should start at the earliest. It is a very big challenge before us,” he said.
The Vice-President also said religious conversions were taking place by allurement and temptation to get supremacy by changing the demography of the nation. “We cannot allow this demographic invasion. Organic demographic growth is acceptable, but if it is disruptive with a sinister design to control. We all must become alert,” he said.
Dhankhar also said there was another systemic challenge. “The President is ridiculed. The Prime Minister is ridiculed. My position is ridiculed. Our institutions, Election Commission, judiciary are (being) tainted. These acts come from those without national interest at heart. Time has come for deep, thorough, micro-level investigation. Expose all behind these sinister designs to destabilize our nation and manipulate our democracy,” he said.
Dhankhar said the Indian Constitution grants fundamental rights, but passage to them has to be earned by performing fundamental and civic duties. “Imagine a country where public order is challenged, property is burnt, and agitations replace lawful redress in courts or legislatures. Time has come for every Indian to assess institutions. Mindset must change. Ask your public representatives whether they’re doing their job. They are elected to debate, discuss, and frame policies — not to disrupt. If they fail, you have the power of social media to hold them,” he said.
Dhankhar appealed to the students to continue learning in life forever. “Learning never stops. All in your life you have to keep learning. Always have a connection with my alma mater. You are leaving the campus physically now, but emotive connection will be perennial,” he said.
Later, at the launch of a special constitution Awareness Campaign organised by the city-based Shri Saraswati Bhuvan Education Society, a 110-year-old educational institution, Dhankar said he has already told the Rajya Sabha that the Constitution having signatures of Dr BR Ambedkar and Dr Rajendra Prasad and other legends “is the real one”.
“Such Constitution carries 22 pictures depicting our 5,000-year-old cultural heritage. It depicts the victory of Dharma from Ramayana, preaching by Krushna on moral directives and portrait of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in decision making,” he said.