All states’ integration was assigned to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel except Jammu and Kashmir – Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar

The Vice President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar paid rich tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary today. Lauding the contributions of the Iron Man of India, he said that successful integrations of all states was a great feat achieved by Sardar Patel. “All states’ integration was assigned to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel except Jammu and Kashmir, and we know the problem we faced,” he said while noting that with abrogation of Article 370 now things are on track & there is global recognition.

Noting that Dr. B R Ambedkar, Chairman of the Drafting Committee had declined to draft Art. 370, VP expressed happiness that itis no more in our constitution. Mentioning that Article 35-A deprived people of J&K benefits of their Fundamental Rights, he said that people for the first time have come to be exposed todemocratic Indian governance and its benefits.

Addressing the Sixty-Ninth Annual Meeting of the General Body of Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) today, the Vice President praised the institution for its good work over the years and said that “

Emphasising that IIPA has to have impact in every state and Union Territory, VP asked the oragnisation to make a footfall in every part of the country, especially at district level because the big changes take place at the district level. Calling for self-audit in this regard, he emphasised that “the surest way to degenerate an institution is to keep it away from scrutiny and self-introspection.”

Referring to ‘AmritKaal’ as our ‘GauravKaal,’ which has been brought to fruition through ‘Kartavya Kaal,’ the Vice-President highlighted that ‘Transparency, Accountability, and Achievement’ have now become the new norm in the country. “Power corridors, once infested by corruption and power-brokers, have now been fully sanitised, and this is a big milestone achievement,” he added.

In his address, the Vice-President today described the Parliament as a “Solemn House meant for dialogue, debate, deliberation, and discussion” and underscored the need for the sensitization of young minds to shape narratives that will effectively counter the nefarious narratives of disturbance and disruption within the hallowed halls of the house. Referring to recent attempts from some quarters for capitalisation on public ignorance, he described it as the “utmost threat to our society” and urged for the immediate neutralization of this perilous trend.

Commending India’s recent ascent to the fifth position in the global economy, with the goal of reaching third place by 2030, Shri Dhankhar underscored the need for “Economic Nationalism.” He echoed the Prime Minister’s call to be ‘Vocal for Local,’ underscoring that import of basic everyday-use items such as kites, diyas, candles, and more results in substantial trade deficits by the unnecessary drain of precious foreign exchange and also deprives our own people from engaging in entrepreneurship.

The Vice-President stressed the imperative of focussing on value addition to our domestic raw materials within the nation, stating it will be a ‘game-changer for the economy.’ He envisioned this approach as the key to securing India’s position as a global leader by 2047. This contribution will have multiple positive outcomes as the ‘government will earn from taxation, people will get employment, and entrepreneurship will blossom’ he added.

During the event, the Vice-President also administered the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas pledge on National Unity Day. He also conferred various prestigious awards including the Paul H. Appleby Award &Dr. Rajendra Prasad Award for Academic Excellence and released several publications.

Shri Jitendra Singh, the Union Minister & Chairman IIPA-EC, Shri Surendra Nath Tripathi, Director General IIPA, Shri Amitabh Ranjan, Registrar, IIPA, faculty members and other dignitaries also attended the event.