The Vice-President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar today stressed that the imposition of emergency was sacrilege of Dharma that can not be countenanced, condoned, overlooked or forgotten. Addressing at the 8th International Dharma Dhamma Conference in Gujarat University today, Shri Dhankhar stated , “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 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. Some of them became Prime Ministers, Presidents, Vice Presidents and occupied positions of public service. And all this was done to satisfy whims of one …”,the Vice-President said.
Drawing attention to recent observance of samvidhan hatya divas on June 25 he underlined, “ 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 Constitution Hatya Divas on June 25 are necessary! They are grim reminders of transgressions of dharma and call for spirited adherence to constitutional dharma. Observance of these days is also significant as during the worst curse of democracy-the emergency ,all checks and balance and institutions collapsed including that the of Supreme Court.”
“It is essential to nurture Dharma, to sustain Dharma we are adequately informed. Our youngsters the new generations comes to know about it more vividly so that we are spinally strong in observation of Dharma and neutralise the dangerous which we faced once”, Shri Dhankhar added.
Expressing deep concern over the increasing detachment from Dharma among political representatives entrusted to serve the people. He highlighted that 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, Shri 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 Adarma 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. “We must not create disruption or support narratives that are anti-humanity and anti-national,” he asserted.
Emphasizing the increasing relevence of Dharma and Dhamma in the contemporary global context, Shri Dhankhar stressed the urgency of adhering to moral and ethical principles amidst the rapid changes driven by globalization and technological advancements.
Highlighting the necessity for all state organs to function harmoniously within their defined spaces, Shri 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 realisation of limitations of that power and authority. The tendency to go beyond defined sphere has potential to unleash the rage of अadharma. We need to be bound by our limitations to impactfully use our authority. It is quintessentially fundamental that all organs of the state function in harmony and in their defined space and domain. Transgressions are deviations from the path of dharma and can turn out to be acutely painful and suicidal on occasions”, he added.
Addressing the alarming trend of informed individuals using their positions to mislead the public for personal gain, Shri Dhankhar emphasized that such actions are antithetical to Dharma, representing a serious challenge to society.
“It is antithetical to Dharma when informed minds knowingly seek to lead people astray to gain political mileage or subserve self interest compromising national interest. Their action is Adharma in extremity! How painful it is that a senior politician, once in the seat of governance declare what publicly happened in neighbourhood is bound to happen in Bharat. What a serious challenge to society, a knowledgeable person, an informed mind who knows the reality uses his iconic status to lead astray people to gain political mileage. Such nefarious tendencies and pernicious designs targeting our Nationalism and also humanity need a befitting rebuff as a tribute to our Dharma. Tolerance of such forces will not be an act of Dharma. Dharma demands to neutralise such kind of forces that seek to belittle Dharma, tarnish our Institutions and run down our Nationalism”, Shri Dhankhar emphasised.
Shri Acharya Devvrat, Hon’ble Governor of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendra Patel, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Vidura Wickramanayaka, Hon’ble Minister of Buddhasasana, Religiousand cultural Affairs Government of Sri Lanka, Mr. Tshering, Hon’ble Home Minister, Royal Government of Bhutan, Swami Shri Govinda Dev Giri Ji Maharaj, Treasurer Shri Ram JanambhoomiTeerth Kshetra Trust, Shri Badri Prasad Pandey, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation,Government of Nepal, Prof. Neerja A Gupta, Vice Chancellor, Gujarat University and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.