The Vice-President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar today appealed every parliamentarian to justify and vindicate the trust imposed by the people of Bharat. The aspirations and dreams of people have to fructify through our positive actions, he said. Shri Dhankhar strongly criticized the use of deception and disturbance as a weapon, as a political strategy to keep away from debate, dialogue, discussion, and deliberation. Shri Dhankhar reminded parliamentarians that the youth of the country is watching them, serving as watchdogs of democracy, and will hold them accountable.

Addressing the students at the 22nd Convocation Ceremony of Rajiv Gandhi University at Rono Hills, Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh today, Shri Dhankhar said, Corruption was a big drain on young minds. Favouritism, corruption, nepotism—these were killing your talent. Corruption was a password for a job, for a contract, for an opportunity. It has vanished. Corruption has been neutralized from power corridors.

Reflecting on India’s unprecedented rise on the global stage, the Vice-President remarked, India is a country that is on the rise—when you look at the sea, when you look at the land, when you look at the sky, and when you look at space.He highlighted that India is already the fifth-largest global economy and is on its way to becoming the third-largest.

Encouraging the promotion of local products, the Vice-President urged citizens to support indigenous industries. He emphasized, you will be hugely contributing to the national economy if you believe in local.Highlighting the harmful effects of relying on imported goods like clothes, furniture, curtains, and toys, he noted, One, employment—it snatches employment from our people who could make it. Two, our foreign exchange is drained. Three, our entrepreneurship is blunted.Shri Dhankhar stated, don’t use petrol or gas or any other natural resource just because your pocket can afford it. No—you are trustees. There has to be optimal utilization of natural resources.

Concluding his address, the Vice-President reminded the students of their immense privilege to be citizens of a great nation at a time when Bharat is being recognized globally as never before. He said, you are extremely fortunate to be citizens of this great nation, and you are fortunate to be living in times when there is recognition of Bharat as never before.

Lt Gen Kaiwalya Trivikram Parnaik, PVSM, UYSM, YSM (Retd.), Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, Dr. J. Suresh Babu, IAS, Chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi University, Prof. S.K. Nayak, Vice-Chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi University and other dignitaries were also present in the occasion.

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JK/SM