VP Dhankar described Gandhi as the ‘Mahapurush’ of the last century and PM Modi as the ‘Yugpurush’ of this century….reports Asian Lite News
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar has received sharp criticism from Congress MP Manickam Tagore for allegedly comparing Mahatma Gandhi with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Dhankar described Gandhi as the ‘Mahapurush’ of the last century and PM Modi as the ‘Yugpurush’ of this century.
“I want to tell you one thing. The mahapurush (great man) of the last century was Mahatma Gandhi. Narendra Modi is the yugpurush (man of the era) of this century,” he said.
VP Dhankar was addressing an event organized on the birth anniversary celebrations of Jain mystic and philosopher, Shrimad Rajchandra at Opera House in Maharashtra’s Mumbai on Monday.
“Mahatma Gandhi freed us from the slavery of the British through Satyagraha and non-violence. India’s successful Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken us to a path where we always wanted to be,” Dhankhar added.
The official ‘X’ handle of the Vice President of India also shared a clip of Dhankar’s speech.
Further talking about similarities in both great personalities, Dhankhar said, “One thing is common between these two great personalities, Mahatma Gandhi and PM Narendra Modi. They have reflected with respect to Shrimad Rajchandraji.”
Reacting to the Vice President’s remarks, Congress MP and Lok Sabha whip Manickam Tagore took to the social media platform ‘X’, and said that, “he has crossed all limits of sycophancy.”
“If you compare (Modi) with Mahatma, it’s shameful, Sir. We all know there is a limit to sycophancy; now you have crossed that limit, and to be in your chair and position and to be a sycophant does not add value, Sir. With respect,” the Congress MP wrote while tagging a clip of VP Dhankhar’s speech.
Dhankhar on Monday said that if Mahatma Gandhi were alive today, he would have praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking forward the Swachhta Abhiyan.
“If Mahatma Gandhi were alive today, he would have praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking forward the Swachhta Abhiyan,” Vice President Dhankhar said.
Comparing PM Modi and Mahatma Gandhi, Vice President Dhankhar further said, “Mahatma Gandhi ji freed us from the slavery of the British through Satyagraha and non-violence. India’s popular Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji put the country on the path that we always wanted to see. In these two great experiences, the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi and our Prime Minister Narendra Modi are similar”.
He said that Rajchandra would have praised him for passing the Women Reservation Bill, which reserves one-third of all seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies, were he alive today.
“Today, India is a country full of talent. It has a population of 140 crore. Today, I feel if Rajchandra ji was alive today, he would have praised him for passing the bill on 21st September(In Rajya Sabha) for providing 1/3rd of the seats to women in Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha,” Dhankhar said. (ANI)
Dhankhar Critiques Colonial Laws’ Burden on Global South
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday said that the legacy of colonial laws has been highly burdensome to the vulnerable sections in the countries of the Global South.
Describing these laws as very harsh, oppressive, and exploitative for the local population, the Vice President asserted that the time has come when Global South nations should follow India’s example and consider reviewing old colonial laws that perpetuate prejudice against local populations.
Dhankhar made these remarks while addressing the first regional conference on “Ensuring Access to Quality Legal Aid for the Vulnerable: Challenges and Opportunities in the Global South”.
The conference has been organized by The National Legal Services Authority of India together with- the International Legal Foundation, the UNDP and the UNICEF.
In his address, the Vice President said, “As the Global South embarks on its journey towards a brighter future, it is imperative to shed the shackles of its colonial past and strive together to reverse the historical wrongs that have perpetuated injustice and inequality. This is a common threat.”
Noting that India is in the process of reviewing outdated legislations, Shri Dhankhar emphasized that it will bring about sea-change in our outlook and totally contain, curb and decimate those exploitative provisions. “The countries of the global south will do well to closely study the action that India has taken in these areas and apply them to their countries after suitably customizing,” he suggested.
Mentioning that just a few years ago, no one was even aware of the term ‘Global South’, Shri Dhankhar credited the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi for bringing it to the central stage and positioning it in a forum like G20 primarily dominated by developed countries. The success achieved by the inclusion of the African Union in G20 alongside the European Union is remarkable and very equitable, he added.
Asserting that India’s ethos of VasudhaivaKutumbakam are now translated into a ground reality, VP stressed that “Rise of global south would constitute the greatest stabilizing force for the world and it’ll generate the growth trajectory of the world.”
Referring to the shared history of colonial oppression and sufferings, the Vice President underlined that we have a deep emotive connect as a nation with the nations of theGlobal South culturally and otherwise. “The negative aspects of colonial rule bind us together. We have suffered through the ages and we have to mitigate the suffering by learning from one another,” he added.
Noting that deprivation of access to justice system & denial of legal aid, present existential challenge to the vulnerable sections, VP stressed the need to neutralize these challenges by affirmative policies and initiatives to secure justice for all. “Let’s strive for a world where justice is a fundamental right, accessible to all, regardless of background, circumstances, or location,” asserted.
Praising the Chief Justice of India for a series of affirmative, innovative people-centric steps to ensure access to justice for vulnerable sections, VP called for reimagining legal aid, harnessing technology, empowering communities, and bridging the gap between legal services and those in need. “Undoubtedly access to legal aid and the justice system is quintessential to nurturing and blossoming of fundamental human values and fostering equitable societies,” he underlined.
Praising NALSA as a beacon of inclusive and affordable legal aid for India’s marginalized communities, the Vice President said that NALSA model of justice delivery is worth emulation by the nations of Global South. (ANI)
