VP Dhankhar warns of anti-India narratives to downsize growth amid row over Rahul's speech

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday, March 19 raised concern over anti-India forces that are orchestrating "pernicious narratives" against the country to taint the nation's "functional democracy" and "constitutional institutions". His statement comes amid a huge political uproar over Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's 'democracy in danger' remarks in the UK.

Addressing a book launch event on Sunday, the Vice President said that the country is growing at a faster rate than ever and that its global relevance has increased to a level never before. He said that the rise is with challenges from within and from outside the country. According to him, "incubators and distributors" of anti-Indian forces are stoking false narratives to slow the country's growth trajectory.

"India is on the rise as never before and the rise is unstoppable. Global relevance and recognition of the Nation are at a level never before. This rise is with challenges from within and out. It is here that the intelligentsia and people from the media come into the picture," the VP said, according to a press release.

Dhankhar warns of 'incubators and distributors' of anti-India forces

Adding further, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said, "We all need to be cognizant of the emergence of incubators and distributors of anti-Indian forces orchestrating pernicious narratives to downsize our growth trajectory and taint our functional democracy and constitutional institutions."

"It is imperative that we all believe in our nation and nationalism and engage in neutralizing such misadventures. In a democracy, all are similarly accountable to the law. No one can have privilege consideration by Law, or else Democracy will cease to exist... Be you so high, the law is always above you. It is known to us all that there can be no such privileges. There can be no enforcement of these privileges. The rigours of law to apply to all. Some people, unfortunately, think they are different or to be dealt with differently," the Rajya Sabha chairman said.