Vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday said that some false narratives about India and its democracy were emanating from some foreign universities and cautioned those criticising their own country outside, asserting that the freedom of expression here is not subject to any “enforced silence.”
“As Chairman of Rajya Sabha, I know the freedom of expression in our country, is not subject to any enforced silence. Those who think so need to revise their opinion. Such false narratives are emanating from some universities outside,” Dhankar said, speaking at the 21st convocation of Dibrugarh University in Assam.
It was apparent that Dhankar was referring to the controversy surrounding Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s remarks at UK’s Cambridge University earlier this year, where he said democracy in India was under attack and microphone in Parliament was switched off. Earlier too, he had slammed the former Congress chief’s remarks.
“You will not find another example where a faculty member, student of a country criticising their own country outside their country. You’ll not find a politician who will trot all around the globe to tarnish our democratic values. And this is not Indian culture,” Dhankar, also the chairman of Rajya Sabha, said in Assam, without taking names.
“I dare say with confidence and with fear of contradiction that India is the most vibrant and functional democracy on the planet as on date. No country in the world can claim to have a constitutional democratic mechanism for the village, municipalities, states and Parliament,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“I dare say with confidence and with fear of contradiction that India is the most vibrant and functional democracy on the planet as on date. No country in the world can claim to have a constitutional democratic mechanism for the village, municipalities, states and Parliament,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“The onus lies on you, you have to find a way out so that such kind of pernicious, sinister narratives are nipped in the bud. I call upon the intelligentsia, media, it is time in Amrit Kaal, we help generate an ecosystem so that our parliamentarians respond positively to the spirit and essence of the founding fathers of our Constitution,” he added.
After Dibrugarh, the VP went to Manipur where he interacted with students and faculty of Dhanamanjuri University.
He also interacted with faculties and scientists of central institutions and master crafts persons and national award winners.