Vice-President and Chairman Rajya Sabha, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar today said that, “For national security, we need indigenous strength. War is best avoided from position of strength. Peace is secured when you are ever ready for war….strength comes apart from technological prowess, conventional arms strength, from people also.”

Highlighting the need for the citizens to carry out their duties, he stated, “ The balance has to be maintained. Let us not cherry pick. We'll go for fundamental rights, claiming them 24 x 7, and be totally oblivious of fundamental duties!…if we focus only on our rights and not on duties, we don't measure up to the requirement of a citizen in the largest democracy, the oldest, the most functional. There are 11 fundamental duties. These duties were not initially there in the Constitution. And I'll tell you for a reason. Our founding fathers obviously expected that we will be aligned to these duties. We will respect those duties. But when it was noticed that it is required to spell them out in the Constitution so that people in particular become aware of these. And these were introduced by 42nd Amendment and 86th Amendment. If I have to  give a sense  of fundamental duties, it is to prioritise national well-being. To contribute optimally for public discourse, public order, public discipline, environment,  everything which is known as goodness in life for one and all.”

“Sometimes people wonder how can we contribute? Swadeshi is closely connected with economic nationalism. Economic nationalism means we must consume Swadeshi. We must always take into consideration being vocal for local. This will inspire our people also to cater to our needs. But if we start importing from other countries, items that are generated in this country, that can be made in this country, we are immediately inviting three troubles. One trouble, there is an avoidable hole in our foreign exchange reserve, and this is in billions of dollars. Second, when we import items that can be made in this country, we are snatching work from our own people. We are depriving them of work. And thirdly, more importantly, we are blunting entrepreneurship. So every individual can contribute. What clothes he wears, what he eats, what he wears, his shoes also. Everything. These are consumables. We fancy what is abroad. Unmindful of the situation that we are injuring our national economy. I therefore assert economic nationalism is business of the people”, he added.

Speaking at the inaugural session of Rajya Sabha Internship Program-phase 7 at the Vice-President’s Enclave today, he underscored, “The recent episode, Operation Sindoor, has changed our mindset massively. We are now nationalistic as never before. And this is reflected in participation of all political landscape in delegations that have gone abroad to project our message of peace and our complete intolerance to terrorism. And therefore, having seen recent events, well, we have no choice. We have no other option but to remain united and grow stronger……Like institutions, even political tribes have a moral duty to the national cause, because ultimately all Institutions, the Legislature, the Judiciary, the Executive, the focal point is national growth, national welfare, public welfare, to generate transparency, accountability, honesty. On issues of national security, economic progress, all factions need to put national interest over partisan priorities. I will appeal to everyone in the political spectrum to seriously reflect, come to a conclusion that on issues of national security, on issues of growth, on issues of our internal security, there must be consensus. Sometimes politics get too hot for nationalism and security, something we need to overcome.” 

Emphasising that Parliament is the ultimate authority to make laws, Shri Dhnakhar stated, “Indian parliament is much beyond a legislative body. It is reflection presently  of 1.4 billion people's will. It is the only legitimized constitutional platform that reflects authentically  the will of the people, and therefore, Parliament has primacy.  Parliament has primacy not in everything because there are areas where executive has primacy, how to govern. Judiciary has primacy,  how to deal with justice system but parliament has primacy on two counts- it is ultimate authority to make law. Secondly, it holds executive accountable. Because  governance is defined  by some fundamentals and one fundamental is transparency. Second is accountability, and in modern times, we have added a third facet to it. Optimal  performance by institutions to gallop our progress trajectory…...Parliament is a place, ultimate place, for debate, dialogue, discussion, and discourse.” 

Underlining the significance of cooperation and consensus, he said, “Our constitution, boys and girls, is a most sacred document. You will come to know how it was formalised, little less than three years, by our founding fathers who dealt with divisive issues, contentious issues, issues that were highly inflammatory, but they dealt with an approach of coordination, cooperation, consensus, something you have to learn in life. And for that, what is important is that you must always respect the other point of view. Because if you think you alone are right, the other person is wrong, you are depriving yourself of a great benefit of input. And secondly, my own experience is, more often than not, the other point of view is the correct view.”

“This document painstakingly evolved has taken note of our civilisational growth also. If you look at the Constitution as signed by framers of the Constitution, you will have the occasion to see it. When you see it, you'll find it has 22 miniatures. Each miniature reflects our historical past, glorious historical past. It shows Gurukul. It shows Indus Valley boom. It shows Ram, Sita, and Laxman coming back to Ayodhya after triumph of goodness over evil. That is in part three of the Constitution, fundamental rights. When it comes to directive principles of state policy,  you will find Bhagawan Krishna giving discourse to Arjuna at Kurukshetra. And you can keep on going to other facets. You will know about it.  Constitution grants fundamental rights, but Constitution, apart from granting fundamental rights, also ordains every citizen to perform duties. Rights are more meaningful unless they are enforceable. And therefore, boys and girls, note India is amongst very few countries in the world where for enforcement of a fundamental right,  you can knock the door of the highest court of the land. You can access judiciary at the premium level to vindicate your fundamental rights. But every citizen and institution must exercise their powers within constitutional boundaries, upholding constitutional ideals. We can love our neighbor only when we don't make incursion in the exclusive domain of the neighbour, physical territory and otherwise. This Constitutional domain sanctity is required to be preserved in all situations. If there is any disruption of it. you can sense danger”, he added

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JK/RC/SM