Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday stressed the urgent need to reflect on the deep political divisiveness in the country. “The political climate in the country is as much a challenge as climate change. We have to work to harmonise it. We cannot ignore our long-term gains. The political temperature in the country needs to be moderated by rational minds. All our stances must be dictated and purified firmly by one consideration — the goodness of the nation. Because this country, home to one-sixth of humanity, is the nerve centre, cultural centre, and spiritual centre of the planet,” he said.

Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the Queue Complex and Jnanadeepa at Sri Kshethra Dharmasthala, Karnataka, on Tuesday, he urged leaders to rise above bitterness. “Politics is not for bitterness. Politicians will have different ideologies. They must have. India is defined for its diversity because the diversity converges into unity. But why should there be political bitterness? The object of politics should not be power alone. Power is important. It should be used to serve the society and the nation,” he asserted.

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Referring to the VIP culture, he said it is an aberration. “It is an incursion when viewed through the anvil of equality. It should have no place in society, much less in religious places. The very idea of VIP darshan militates against divinity. It should be dispensed with,” he remarked. Calling for equality in religious institutions, he added, “Religious institutions are emblematic of equality since there is no individual higher before the Almighty, the God. We should re-instil the idea of equality in religious institutions. I hope this Dharmasthala, being led by a luminary of all times, will serve as an example of egalitarianism and let us shun VIP culture.”

Addressing concerns about law and order, Dhankhar condemned the destruction of public property and nefarious activities by rogue elements. “Imagine in a country like ours, people challenge law-enforcing authorities. They challenge public order. They come to the streets if there is a court summons. Is this the way to function in a country that is Bharat? Anyone who challenges law and public order must be held accountable. How shameful it is for us. How painful it is when we see public property being destroyed, public property being set on fire. They are enemies of the nation. These people, these nefarious elements must be dealt with in an exemplary manner. They must be brought to law. Their cases must be fast-tracked. This country of 1.4 billion cannot suffer this kind of public nuisance, destruction of public property,” he cautioned, adding, “The world is appreciating our trains. One after the other we have trains and there are some people who stone them. They are rogue elements of society. They should not have our respect. They must be singled out, pinpointed, and strongly dealt with.”

On the importance of dialogue in a democracy, he stated, “Dialogue and expression define democracy. If our right of expression is curtailed, or diminished, the best of an individual cannot come forward. But if we insist only on expression and do not believe in dialogue, if we believe only in expression and believe that we alone are right, we are being unfair to humanity, and to the other person. Dialogue and expression have to go hand in hand. It is the dialogue that makes us realise the importance of the other point of view.”

The Vice-President further emphasised the role of parliamentarians in fostering dialogue. “The most authenticated platform in democracy for dialogue emanates from the people. The people elect their representatives to Parliament and legislatures. It is the bounden duty of public representatives to voice concerns of the people. They must offer solutions. They must work to realise the aspirations of the people. But if those who are obligated, constitutionally mandated to engage in dialogue but engage in disruption, then things go wrong.

Emphasising the role of the Panch Pran in national transformation, he said, “The foundation of our national transformation, which is taking place, can get accelerated if all individuals, all citizens commit to five pillars, which I call as ‘Panch Pran.’ One, we must promote social harmony. We must believe in social harmony that transcends diversity, and converts diversity into national unity. We must believe in family life and family enlightenment by nurturing patriotic values at the grassroots with children. We must care for our environment, environment-friendly lifestyle, and environmental values. Look at our worships, they are environment-friendly. We are sure we don’t have another earth to cohabit. We can’t allow this existential challenge to overtake us. We must be environment-friendly. I call upon everyone in the country to believe in Swadeshi. Be vocal about the local. That will promote employment. That will save precious foreign exchange. You will believe in it. And lastly, our Constitution gives us fundamental rights. But we must focus on fundamental duties. Our duties are sacred. They take nothing much. If you go through the fundamental duties, you’ll be inspired, motivated to follow them,” he said.

Appealing to corporates, he encouraged them to actively support religious institutions through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). “I call upon corporates, Indian corporates, to come forward, generously contribute out of their CSR funds for the development of infrastructure, for health, for education, the infrastructure around such religious institutions, because these religious institutions are beyond places of worship. They are the nerve centre of our culture. This will help imbibe in our youth, in our children, cultural values that make this country different from other countries,” he said.

Brijesh Chowta, MP, D. Veerendra Heggade, president, Sri Kshethra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project. Hemavathi V. Heggade, President, Jnanavikasa Programme, D. Surendra Kumar, Trustee of SKDRDP, D. Harshendra Kumar, Secretary, SDME society, and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.