New Delhi:

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has some advice for Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who has been questioning the Vice President’s frequent visit to the Congress-ruled state where the assembly election will be held soon.

At an election campaign in Rajasthan’s Neemrana, Mr Gehlot had objected to the Vice President’s visit to five districts since the election is near and the visit would “send all kinds of message, which is not good for democracy.”

“Politicians should come, but please do not send the Vice President; it is a constitutional post. We respect the President and the Vice President. Yesterday the Vice President came and visited five districts. It is election season. If you come now it will send all kinds of message which is not good for democracy,” Mr Gehlot told a gathering in Neemrana.

Vice President Dhankhar in an apparent response to Mr Gehlot said those in high positions should use responsible words.

“The higher the position a person holds, the more dignified his conduct should be. Making any comment to gain political advantage is not a good thing. I call upon everyone to be responsible when it comes to constitutional institutions,” the Vice President said.

The Vice President said it is a matter of “contemplation and concern that some people make indecent comments on constitutional institutions, wearing political glasses.”

“They should not do this; such behaviour is against our cultural heritage,” he said. “We must not look at constitutional functionaries with a political prism to score political points. That is not acceptable,” he added.

Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal had also asked Mr Gehlot whether the Vice President needs to take the Chief Minister’s permission for visiting Rajasthan.

“For the Vice President, the Chief Minister said why is he coming now? So the Vice President will come after getting permission from him?” Mr Meghwal told reporters in Jaipur on Thursday.

Mr Gehlot is on an intensive campaign across Rajasthan, touching 18 districts and heading into 38 constituencies. It’s also a part of “Mission 2030” outreach where Mr Gehlot is talking about his vision for Rajasthan till 2030.

Mr Gehlot strategy has a soft Hindutva subtext as he will also visit important temples during this campaign. His schedule shows he will visit at least 10 prominent and local temples during the third leg of this nine-day campaign before the election code kicks in.

Jaipur:

India is going to be on the top of the world by 2047 due to the young generation’s “commitment, directional approach and service to society”, said Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday.

Addressing students at an event at Sainik School in Jhunjhunu district, Jagdeep Dhankhar said India is rising like never before and will lead the world when the nation celebrates the centenary of Independence in 2047.

“You are the future of this country, you will shape this country. But boys and girls, you are lucky. You are fortunate that you are here at a time when India is rising as never before, rise of India is unstoppable, we are going to be world’s number one when we celebrate the centenary of our Independence in 2047,” said Jagdeep Jagdeep Dhankhar.  “And how will it be possible? You people will make it possible. Your commitment, your directional approach, your service to society will make Bharat ever proud,” he added.

Citing the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the south pole of the Moon, Jagdeep Dhankhar said “history was created”.

“Chandrayaan 3 had a soft landing. Successful landing. History was created! India became one of the four countries to have this distinction, but the only country in the world to have the honour of landing on the south pole of the Moon,” he said.

Jagdeep Dhankhar asked the students to never be afraid of failures.

Giving example of the failure of Chandrayaan-2 when Jagdeep Dhankhar was West Bengal governor, he said the landing was not perfect then but the prime minister congratulated the ISRO for 96 per cent success in the mission.

“Never be afraid of failures. Fear of failure reduces your strength quite a lot. Never have tension… You will be able to perform much better. At Sainik School, I always would top in the class. But I was always in fear what would happen if I couldn’t come first? I left the school as the topper. “Later, I realised it doesn’t matter much whether you are on top or second position. So develop your personality in an integrated manner,” he said.

The vice president invited all the students in seven batches to visit Delhi as his guest to have a glimpse of functioning of the Parliament.  “Boys and girls, you are fortunate that you are contributing to India at a time when the country’s glory is being witnessed all over the world. In September 2022, India became the fifth largest economy in the world overtaking the UK. By the end of the decade, India will be the third largest economy,” he said.

The vice president, accompanied by his wife Sudesh Dhankhar, earlier offered prayers at Sri Surya Mandir in Lohargal and Rani Shakti Mandir in Jhunjhunu.

Jagdeep Dhankhar later left for Jaipur where he will be addressing another event at the National Institute of Ayurveda before leaving for the national capital. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)