NEW DELHI: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on January 3, 2025 inaugurated the International Congress of Vedanta organised at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Dhankhar stressed the importance of dialogue in the democratic system. He added that expression and dialogue, when in harmony, they create a symphony of societal peace, fundamental to growth. He expressed his disappointment that both expression and dialogue are being defeated by disturbance and disruption, even in the theaters of democracy. Parliaments, assemblies, and forums are witnessing their sanctity being outraged at the moment.
Expression and dialogue are essential to civility and the nurturing of democratic values. When in harmony, they create a symphony of societal peace, fundamental to growth.
It is deeply concerning that expression and dialogue are being defeated by disturbance and disruption, even… pic.twitter.com/VpAU3X54hZ
— Vice-President of India (@VPIndia) January 3, 2025
While addressing the gathering, Vice President Dhankhar highlighted the importance of Vedanta and Sanatan Dharma and hit back at those who failed to understand its ethos. He added that it was unfortunate that during the present times, the world was embracing Sanatan Dharma and its teachings, while the people in our own country were misrepresenting the teachings of the Vedas.
Vedanta is the essence or ‘conclusion’ of the Vedas, our timeless treasures!@JNU_official_50 #JNU #Vedanta pic.twitter.com/fX164HrCVh
— Vice-President of India (@VPIndia) January 3, 2025
Vice President Dhankhar stated that those who think that they alone are right, it is a reflection of ignorance, and it is inappropriate not to take into account another person’s viewpoint. Dhankhar added that such attitude and mindset is against the democratic principles.
“I am alone right” reflects the enormity of ignorance. It reflects arrogance in its extremity—steadfast clinging to one’s stance as the absolute truth while refusing to consider other viewpoints. This attitude dominates public discourse these days.
This intolerance undermines,… pic.twitter.com/5i5xQHiUE7
— Vice-President of India (@VPIndia) January 3, 2025
Dhankhar added that one of the most important gift which an individual can gift to the society is ideation.
Highlighting the tensions across the globe, Vice President Dhankhar identified issues such as resource depletion, climate change, and cyber warfare as pressing concerns that require not only technological solutions but also ethical frameworks guided by Vedanta.
Dhankhar underscored Bharat’s trajectory of exponential growth, rooted in its rich civilizational heritage as the oldest civilization in the world. He lamented the irony that while global disciplines increasingly draw upon Sanatani texts, there is resistance and misrepresentation of these philosophies within the country. “Reference to Sanatan Dharma often sparks misguided negative reactions, revealing a distorted understanding of secularism,” he said. Vedanta is much beyond a philosophy; it is the algorithm for human consciousness.
Ironically and painfully, in this country, any reference to #Sanatan or #Hinduism often evokes baffling reactions beyond comprehension.
Instead of delving into their profound meaning, people tend to react impulsively, as if at the drop of a hat. Can ignorance reach a greater… pic.twitter.com/Vm5ZjDG6XO
— Vice-President of India (@VPIndia) January 3, 2025
Dhankar lashed at those who were using secularism to fulfill their own vested interests.
Secularism को एक ढाल बना दिया गया है !
Some elements act in a structured and sinister manner. Their design is pernicious. They camouflage their destructive thought processes with a perverted version of #secularism. ऐसे तत्वों का पर्दाफाश करना, हर भारतीय का कर्तव्य है।… pic.twitter.com/g8cwe5R9nq
— Vice-President of India (@VPIndia) January 3, 2025
Meanwhile, the International Congress of Vedanta was inaugurated by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar along the Vice Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, Arindam Chakrabarti who is Professor at the Emeritus University of Hawaii, USA, Sachichidanand Mishra who is member secretary at Indian Council of Philosophical Research and Prof Nataraju Adarasupally, dIrector, Vedanata Congress Centre for Philosophy, JNU.
