Dissent welcome in democracy, but not disintegration of country: V-P Naidu

Vice president M Venkaiah Naidu said unrest and disturbances hamper progress.

Urging people to use freedom of speech judiciously, vice president M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday said that dissent is welcome in a democracy but not disintegration of the country.

Vice President of India M Venkaiah Naidu addressing a lecture at Aryabhatta auditorium of Ranchi university in Ranchi on Sunday. (Diwakar Prasad/ Hindustan Times)

Naidu, addressing an event here, said democracy means discussions and debates and not disruption, obstruction or destruction. “(Some) people say dissent is required in a democracy.

It is welcome but in the name of dissent, you cannot speak against the nation’s unity and integrity...this has to be understood by all,” he said.

The vice president said unrest and disturbances hamper progress. “We have got to vote in (a party) or vote out (a party) every five years...violence has no place in a democracy. It is against the nation and everyone should understand that.

“Some people advocate that revolution comes through the barrel of a gun. But the ballot is more powerful than a bullet. It is fashion for some people to advocate revolution, but what is required is not revolution but evolution,” Naidu said.

The vice president asserted that the slowdown in the economy is temporary.

“Despite the temporary lull, India is expected to bounce back as the fastest growing economy,” he said. Observing that global powers are appreciating Indian practices in structural reforms, he said, “In the long term, nobody can stop the development story of India.”