“Imposition of Emergency was sacrilege of Dharma”: VP Dhankar at Dharma Dhamma Conference in Gujarat

Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], August 24 (ANI): Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar stressed that the imposition of emergency was a sacrilege of Dharma that can not be countenanced, condoned, overlooked or forgotten.

Addressing the 8th International Dharma Dhamma Conference at Gujarat University on Friday, Dhankhar stated, “This great nation was bled in 1975 with the proclamation of draconian emergency by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who in blatant and outrageous disregard of dharma acted dictatorially to cling to power and self-serve interest. It was sacrilege of Dharma.”

“It was Adharma that can neither be countenanced nor condoned. That was Adharma which cannot be overlooked or forgotten. Over a lakh people were imprisoned. Some of them became Prime Ministers, Presidents, and Vice Presidents and occupied positions of public service. And all this was done to satisfy whims of one,” the Vice-President said.

Drawing attention to the recent observance of ‘Samvidhan Hatya Divas’ on June 25 he underlined, “As a tribute to Dharma, as a commitment to Dharma, to serve Dharma, to so belief in Dharma, Observance of Constitution Day on November 26 and Constitution Hatya Divas on June 25 are necessary! They are grim reminders of transgressions of dharma and call for spirited adherence to constitutional dharma. Observance of these days is also significant as, during the worst curse of democracy-the emergency, all checks and balances and institutions collapsed including that the of Supreme Court.”

“It is essential to nurture Dharma, to sustain Dharma we are adequately informed. Our youngsters the new generations come to know about it more vividly so that we are spinally strong in observation of Dharma and neutralise the dangers which we faced once,” Dhankar added.

Expressing deep concern over the increasing detachment from Dharma among political representatives entrusted to serve the people. He highlighted that those in positions of power are deviating from their sacred duty of integrity, transparency, and justice, engaging in actions contrary to the very essence of Dharma. He stated that the troubling trend undermines the trust of citizens who have placed their faith in these leaders.

Emphasizing the critical need for observance of Dharma in the Parliament, Dhankhar expressed concern over the current political environment, marked with disruptions and disturbances that compromise the constitutional mandate of public representatives, labelling such failures of duty as a reflection of Adarma in its extremity.

He called upon citizens to enlighten their representatives about their constitutional duties, urging them to embody the spirit of Dharma and prioritize the greater good of humanity. “We must not create disruption or support narratives that are anti-humanity and anti-national,” he asserted.

Emphasizing the increasing relevance of Dharma and Dhamma in the contemporary global context, Dhankhar stressed the urgency of adhering to moral and ethical principles amidst the rapid changes driven by globalization and technological advancements.

Highlighting the necessity for all state organs to function harmoniously within their defined spaces, Dhankhar warned that any transgressions from this path could lead to severe consequences.

“It is imperative for individuals and institutions to conform to dharma. Power and authority are optimally impactful when there is a realisation of limitations of that power and authority. The tendency to go beyond the defined sphere has the potential to unleash the rage of aadharma. We need to be bound by our limitations to impactfully use our authority. It is quintessentially fundamental that all organs of the state function in harmony and their defined space and domain. Transgressions are deviations from the path of dharma and can turn out to be acutely painful and suicidal on occasions,” he added.

Addressing the alarming trend of informed individuals using their positions to mislead the public for personal gain, Dhankhar emphasized that such actions are antithetical to Dharma, representing a serious challenge to society.

“It is antithetical to Dharma when informed minds knowingly seek to lead people astray to gain political mileage or subserve self-interest compromising national interest. Their action is Adharma in extremity! How painful it is that a senior politician, once in the seat of governance declares what publicly happened in the neighbourhood is bound to happen in Bharat. What a serious challenge to society, a knowledgeable person, an informed mind who knows the reality uses his iconic status to lead astray people to gain political mileage. Such nefarious tendencies and pernicious designs targeting our Nationalism and also humanity need a befitting rebuff as a tribute to our Dharma. Tolerance of such forces will not be an act of Dharma. Dharma demands to neutralise such kind of forces that seek to belittle Dharma, tarnish our Institutions and run down our Nationalism”, Dhankhar emphasised.

Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Sri Lanka Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Vidura Wickramanayaka, Bhutan Home Minister, Royal Tshering, Treasurer Ram JanambhoomiTeerth Kshetra Trust Swami Govinda Dev Giri Ji Maharaj, Nepal Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey, Gujarat University Vice Chancellor Prof Neerja A Gupta and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.