The Vice-President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar encouraged the youth to engage in innovation and become ‘early birds’ in the adoption of emerging technologies. Calling upon corporates and businesses to facilitate the same, the Vice-President stressed that industry leaders must handhold educational institutions in terms of research and development “so that the youth are fully positioned to harness positive aspects of disruptive technologies.”

Addressing the 72^nd annual convocation of Gujarat University in Ahmedabad today, the Vice-President urged young citizens to “hold accountable those who weaponise disturbance and disruption as a political mechanism”. While emphasising that students, as discerning minds, can greatly influence democratic governance, Shri Dhankhar also underscored the responsibility of people’s representatives to “remain alive to the values set by members of the Constituent Assembly”.

Hailing Gujarat as the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Vice-President drew attention to the fact that the integration of all States, except Jammu and Kashmir, had taken place with the involvement of Sardar Patel. Making reference to Articles 370 and 35A of the Constitution as temporary provisions that had assumed the form of permanence, the Vice-President said that “had Sardar Patel been involved in the integration of Jammu and Kashmir as well, further issues would not have arisen.”

Highlighting that the illustrations in the original draft of the Constitution offer a glimpse into India’s 5000-year-old civilisational ethos, the Vice-President noted the depiction of Lord Ram, Sita and Lakshman in the section on Fundamental Rights. Expressing his surprise that such key sections are left out of circulated versions, Shri Dhankhar said that such figures are an integral part of our Constitution as framed by its architects.

During his visit to the University, the Vice-President inaugurated the Atal Kalam Centre for Extension Research & Innovation, noting that the centre would emerge as “a nerve centre and epicentre of change” in the nation’s research and development landscape.

The Governor of Gujarat, Shri Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendra Patel and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

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MS/RC/JK