Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday while recalling the 1975 emergency imposed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi said the imposition of emergency was sacrilege of dharma that cannot be countenanced, condoned, overlooked or forgotten.

Speaking at the 8th International Dharma Dhamma Conference in Gujarat University, he said, “This great nation was bled in 1975 with the proclamation of draconian emergency by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who in blatant and outrageous disregard of dharma acted dictatorially to cling to power and self-serve interest. As a matter of fact, it was a sacrilege of dharma.”

“It was adharma that can neither be countenanced nor condoned. That was adharma which cannot be overlooked or forgotten. Over a lakh of people were imprisoned,” he said.

The VP further said, “As a tribute to dharma, as a commitment to dharma, to serve dharma, to so belief in dharma, Observance of Constitution Day on November 26 and Samvidhan Hatya Divas on June 25 are necessary. They are grim reminders of transgressions of dharma and call for spirited adherence to constitutional dharma. Observation of these days is also significant as during the worst curse of democracy-the emergency ,all checks and balances and institutions collapsed including that of the Supreme Court.”

“It is essential to nurture dharma, to sustain dharma we are adequately informed. Our youngsters and the new generations come to know about it more vividly so that we are spinally strong in observation of dharma and neutralise the danger which we faced once,” said Dhankhar.

Expressing deep concern over the increasing “detachment” from dharma among political representatives entrusted to serve the people, he said those in positions of power are deviating from their sacred duty of integrity, transparency, and justice, engaging in actions contrary to the very essence of dharma.

He stated that the troubling trend undermines the trust of citizens who have placed their faith in these leaders.

Emphasizing the critical need for observance of dharma in the Parliament, Dhankhar expressed concern over the current political environment, marked with disruptions and disturbances that compromise the constitutional mandate of public representatives, labeling such failures of duty as a reflection of adharma in its extremity.

He called upon citizens to enlighten their representatives about their constitutional duties, urging them to embody the spirit of dharma and prioritize the greater good of humanity.

Highlighting the necessity for all state organs to function harmoniously within their defined spaces, Dhankhar warned that any transgressions from this path could lead to severe consequences.

“It is imperative for individuals and institutions to conform to dharma. Power and authority are optimally impactful when there is realization of limitations of that power and authority. The tendency to go beyond the defined sphere has potential to unleash the rage of adharma, he added.

Addressing the alarming trend of informed individuals using their positions to mislead the public for personal gain, Dhankhar emphasized that such actions are antithetical to dharma, representing a serious challenge to society.