The Vice-President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar today urged students to ask probing questions and neutralize anti-India narratives. Noting that the greatest challenge to society is posed by informed minds capitalizing on the ignorance of people, the Vice-President stressed that Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) was “the right place, the nerve-centre to engage in scrutiny” and engage in dismantling such false narratives floated by people trying to “taint, tarnish and demean our Constitutional institutions” within India and abroad.
Dr. Subhas Sarkar, Union Minister of State for Education, Kanwal Sibal, Chancellor, JNU, Prof. Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, Vice-Chancellor, JNU, faculty members, students and other dignitaries were present on the occasion. Addressing the 7th convocation ceremony of JNU, the Vice-President told students that they were stepping into the larger world at a juncture where the country has “wholesome governance, affirmative policies and an economy that is globally respected and spinally strong.”
Highlighting the presence of a scenario where no individual is considered above the law, the Vice-President said that power corridors have been sanitized of corrupt elements. “Corruption is no longer rewarded, respect for law is enforced,” he said. Taking note of the initiatives by the government for inclusive growth, Shri Dhankhar added, “Society will change only when you care for the last man in the room.”
Referring to the consecration ceremony of ‘Ram Lalla’ in Ayodhya on January 22nd, the Vice-President drew attention to the “celebratory mood in the country”. Stating that the pain of 500 years has been undone with consecration ceremony, he noted “What is significant is that it was fructified with commitment to righteousness, through established procedure of law,” he added.
Lauding India’s leadership as the president of the G20, the Vice-President commended the outcomes of the summit that were spearheaded by India, including the inclusion of African Union as a permanent member and the launch of the India–Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor. Underlining the motto of India’s Presidency- ‘One Earth-One Family-One Future’ – he said that the essence of this motto has been “embedded in our civilizational ethos of 5000 years”.