‘Demographic disorder no less severe than nuclear bomb’: V-P Jagdeep Dhankhar

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday raised alarm over "growing threat of demographic disorder" in the country and compared its consequences to no less than a nuclear bomb, news agency PTI reported.

Dhankhar alleged that certain regions in the country are turning into political fortresses of “certain groups” where elections have no real meaning.

"It is alarming to see how some areas have been affected by this strategic shift, turning them into impenetrable strongholds where democracy loses its essence," he said while speaking at a programme at the Birla Auditorium in Jaipur.

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Dhankhar clarified that he is never concerned about “organic and natural demographic change” but said that he is "frightened" about the way demographic change is brought about in certain regions in a “strategic” manner to achieve an objective.

He alleged that such changes over last few decades reveals a "disturbing pattern" that challenge our values, civilisational ethos and democracy.

“If this alarmingly worrisome challenge is not addressed systematically, it would escalate into an existential threat for the nation. I need not name countries that have lost their identity 100 per cent because of this demographic disorder, demographic earthquake,” the vice president added.

Dhankhar also alleged that India's cultural heritage is being "attacked" and called for an "ideological and mental counter-attack" on forces inimical to India's interests.

“We, as a majority, are all-embracing tolerant, generate a soothing ecosystem and we have a counterpoint, written on the wall. The other kind of majority is brute, ruthless and reckless in its functioning, believing in trampling all the values of the other side,” Dhankar said.

“We, therefore, all have to work with passion, in a missionary mode to build a cohesive society that thinks in necessary terms and is not divided by factions of caste, creed, colour, culture, conviction and cuisines,” he added.

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Dhankhar also alleged that few politicians do not hesitate to sacrifice national interest for newspaper headlines or getting some minor petty partisan interest served. He termed them as “champions of anarchy”, whose actions, he said, have to be neutralised.

He expressed concern that people who do not care about the law or care about the nation have reached constitutional positions. “We cannot be crazy for political power. Political power has to emanate from the people through a democratic process that is sanctified,” Dhankhar added.

(With PTI inputs)