Itanagar, Nov 30 (IANS) Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday strongly criticised the use of deception and disturbance as a weapon, as a political strategy to keep away from debate, dialogue, discussion, and deliberation.

Addressing the students at the 22nd Convocation Ceremony of Rajiv Gandhi University at Rono Hills in Arunachal Pradesh's Doimukh, the Vice President appealed to every Parliamentarian "to justify and vindicate the trust imposed by the people of Bharat".

"The aspirations and dreams of people have to fructify through our positive actions," he said, and reminded Parliamentarians that the youth of the country are watching them, serving as watchdogs of democracy, and will hold them accountable.

Jagdeep Dhankhar said that corruption was a big drain on young minds.

"Favouritism, corruption, nepotism - these were killing your talent. Corruption was a password for a job, for a contract, for an opportunity. It has vanished. Corruption has been neutralized from power corridors," he said.

The Vice President said that there was a time when you could not find an Indian in the top global corporate, but now there is hardly any global corporate that does not have an Indian mind at the head.

Reflecting on India's unprecedented rise on the global stage, he remarked, India is a country that is on the rise, when you look at the sea, when you look at the land, when you look at the sky, and when you look at space.

V-P Dhankhar highlighted that India is already the fifth-largest global economy and is on its way to becoming the third-largest.

Encouraging the promotion of local products, the Vice President urged citizens to support indigenous industries.

He emphasised that students will be hugely contributing to the national economy if they believe in local produce.

Highlighting the harmful effects of relying on imported goods like clothes, furniture, curtains, and toys, he noted, "it (import of items) snatches employment from our people who could make it".

Secondly," our foreign exchange is drained (due to the import of goods) and thirdly, our entrepreneurship is blunted", the Vice President pointed out.

"Don't use petrol or gas or any other natural resource just because your pocket can afford it. There has to be optimal utilisation of natural resources. You will be hugely contributing to the national economy if you believe in local products. Using imported items has many deleterious effects," Jagdeep Dhankhar said.

The Vice-President reminded the students of their immense privilege to be citizens of a great nation at a time when Bharat is being recognised globally as never before.

He told them: "You are extremely fortunate to be citizens of this great nation, and you are fortunate to be living in times when there is recognition of Bharat as never before."

Arunachal Pradesh Governor Lt Gen Kaiwalya Trivikram Parnaik, (Retd.), Chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi University Dr. J. Suresh Babu, Vice-Chancellor Prof. S.K. Nayak and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

Courtesy Media Group: IANS

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