Article 370 abrogation fulfilled Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s dream: Vice President Dhankhar

Jammu, Jan 4: Vice-President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar Thursday stated that Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s dream became a reality after Article 370 was abrogated with the “collective role played by executive, legislature and judiciary.”

Describing Article 370 and 35 A as the impediments to democratic governance, the Vice President said that they created a detrimental ecosystem vis-à-vis the nation's interests and deprived the people of their rights.

“Article 370 was a temporary provision of the Constitution yet it was allowed to grow as a prickle, hindering the progress and leaving the people in the lurch; robbing them of their rights, which are intrinsic in a functional democracy. None had imagined that it would ever be abrogated. However, it has become a reality due to the collective role played by the Executive headed by the Prime Minister; Legislature comprising Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and the judiciary. This is heartening to note that these irritants have been removed realising the dream of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, who left his imprints on this land (J&K),” he said.

The Vice President was addressing the gathering during the inauguration of the Biotech Startup Expo on “Emerging Startup Trends in North India” in Kathua.

Earlier, he was scheduled to address the 8th convocation of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu (SKUAST-J) as the chief guest in the morning at 11 am. But foggy weather forced him to skip the Jammu visit.

However, he managed to keep his date with Kathua where he was scheduled to inaugurate Biotech Startup Expo late afternoon.

During his address in Kathua, he conveyed his regrets for his inability to attend the event owing to adverse weather conditions. The flight had to be rerouted through Pathankot prior to the event in Kathua, owing to the deteriorating weather situation.

Yet in his address (at Kathua), the Vice-President also congratulated the graduating students and awardees of the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology, Jammu, whose 8th convocation ceremony he was scheduled to attend earlier in the day.

Prior to it, the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, at the very outset of his convocation address at SKUAST-Jammu, too had stated that the Vice President, in wake of inclement weather conditions, could not reach Jammu despite waiting for one and a half hours at Delhi airport.

“He personally called to inform me of this and expressed his regret over the phone. He especially asked me to convey his message that he would, for sure, visit SKUAST Jammu after improvement in weather conditions. It would have been better if he had been here to address the convocation and guide the students with his insightful observations. But human beings have no control over capricious weather,” LG Sinha said.

Vice President Dhankhar, while highlighting the affirmative steps being taken by the government in J&K, said, “Sections of society in Jammu and Kashmir, who had earlier been denied their rights and benefits under government schemes, now have a greater voice in governance and are witness to a transformed scenario.”

He also outlined five parameters or ‘Panchatantra’, which he said, were “fundamental to the growth and progress of any nation" and they included peace and stability; equality of law; transparency and accountability in governance; an ecosystem that favours meritocracy, and empowerment of women.

“All of them are ground realities in India today,” Dhankhar said. Stressing on the fifth parameter, he drew attention to the opportunities that opened up for the women of Jammu and Kashmir, with the availability of property rights, following abrogation of Article 370, in addition to the rights conferred by the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.

“Abrogation of Article 370 and the enabling initiatives taken by the government in Jammu and Kashmir have resulted in development being completely delinked from partisan interests,” the Vice-President said. Recognising that every individual had a right to participate in politics, the Vice-President cautioned that “politics must not be allowed to become a deterrent to progress.”

Expressing his appreciation for the nation’s progress in the domain of biotechnology, the Vice-President made special mention of India’s position as the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem, having a greater number of unicorns than China.

Highlighting the extent of India’s internet penetration and its great number of digital transactions, he also emphasised upon the importance of nurturing a robust research ecosystem for the progress of the country.

Union Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh; Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Dr Rajesh Gokhale; Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Dr N Kalaiselvi and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.