Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankar has said that at a time when access to the judiciary was being weaponised by vested interests and anti-national forces, the message of the nation being first and keeping the interest of the nation above all should go from Karnataka.
He was speaking after inaugurating the three-day ‘Karnataka Vaibhava’ intellectual festival organised by Parivartana, in association with various organisations, at KLE Society’s Rajarajeshwari College at Ranebennur on Friday, February 7.
The Vice-President wondered how it was possible to have a debate over nationalism versus regionalism in a country with a rich cultural heritage of 5,000 years. “Indianness is our identity, patriotism is our love and there is nothing more than the nation’s interest. Nationalism is like Ganga comprising of all. Our age-old culture gives us only one message — that it is inclusive of everything. Conserving our rich cultural heritage is our prime duty,” he said.
Beginning his address by quoting lines from the State anthem — Jaya Bharata Jananiya Tanujaathe, jaya he Karnataka mathe, the Vice-President went on to elaborate on the greatness of Karnataka.
“Karnataka is the cradle of civilisation. It is the epicentre of spirituality. It is a thriving epicentre of art, literature and philosophy. And it is testament to India’s cultural, intellectual tapestry,” he said.
Mr. Dhankar said that just a tour of the region ruled by Kadambas, Chalukyas, and Vijayanagar kings would remind one of the intellectual brilliance. Recalling the contributions of Basavanna, he said, “It is the land where Basavanna initiated the vachana movement. Akkamahadevi and Allamaprabhu ignited the spirit of social reform, equality, devotion, and gave a model to the world”.
The Vice-President said that India had taken huge strides in development and was on the way to becoming the third biggest economy in the next couple of years, and the whole world was astonished over the development of the country with a huge population of 140 crore. “A lot of development in various spheres had happened, and a sea change is being witnessed in Kashmir, which was visited by two crore people in 2024. In the last 10 years, a lot of changes have happened, and more transparency and accountability has become a part of the system,” he said.
“There is an atmosphere of hope and possibility in the nation. Because of its positive outlook, India is reckoned as a global destination for investment and opportunities. However, some in India and abroad are unable to digest the growth, and they are posing challenges. They want to demolish our institutions, and ignore the growth by taking the ground realities into consideration. There are also people who reside in the country without records. Such people challenge your culture, they reduce your rights. There are people who have no role in the election process of the oldest democracy in the world, but they influence the electorate. People of the country have to think and resolve that they will not allow the vested interests to divide them on the basis of caste or region,” he said.
Recalling the great institutions of learning in ancient India, he said that 1,200 years ago, invaders came into the country, cleverly attacked religious institutions and attempted to annihilate the culture. However, the people had fought back to ensure the installation of Ram Lalla through legal route, he said.
Emphasising the need for everyone to contribute towards nation-building, the Vice-President said that ‘Viksit Bharat’ was not just a dream, but a destination. “Viksit Bharat is a marathon. Youths have to take the lead and make India a developed nation. Everyone has to make sacrifices and work with commitment by keeping the nation above all,” he said.
He also told the youths to look around for the new opportunities being made available to them and not just restrict their view to government jobs.
Earlier, Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot said that Karnataka had a significant position in the country because of its rich cultural heritage, cultural diversity, and technological advancements. “Karnataka stands like a bridge between the past and the future. We can see a confluence of tradition and modernism here. Kannada, being one of the oldest languages, has enriched the literature and culture of the nation through the contributions of Basavanna, Kumaravyasa, Pampa, Ranna, and Rashtrakavi Kuvempu,” he said.
He said that Karnataka’s economy was multi-dimensional, with advances in the fields of agriculture and technology. He hoped that the three-day event would showcase the glory of Karnataka along with facilitating constructive discussion on various issues.
BJP national general secretary (Organisation) B.L. Santhosh said that the term “difference” was being misinterpreted as being the opposite but actually meant distinctive features which were evident in various aspects such as language, culture, region, and other elements. Emphasising the need for following the Constitution framed by B.R. Ambedkar, Mr. Santhosh, however, said that some individuals were misleading the people through misinterpretation of words, which, however, was now being slowly realised by the people.
Vice-President wife Sudesh Jagdeep Dhankar, Fisheries Minister Mankal Vaidya, KSOU Vice-Chancellor S.V. Halase, and Vachanananda Swami of Veerashaiva Lingayat Panchamasali Peetha, Harihar, were among those present at the event.
Published - February 07, 2025 03:32 pm IST
