Lack of dialogue will kill democracy, warns Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankar

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar emphasizes the importance of dialogue for democratic institutions during discussions with protesting farmers.

After the Centre decided to hold discussions with protesting farmers, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said on Monday that absence of dialogue would sound the death knell for democratic institutions.

Mr. Dhankhar, on multiple occasions, had openly urged the Centre to talk to the farmers.

Delivering the keynote address at the foundation stone laying ceremony at the Nandlal Nuwal Centre of Indology at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, the Vice President said that democratic polity thrived on discourse. “If you do not have right of expression, you cannot claim to be living in a democracy but your expression is incomplete unless you believe in dialogue. Because when you have the dialogue, there may be the other point of view, a point of view that may not be for your taste but sometimes, and I would say more often than not, a dialogue enriches you, a dialogue affords an opportunity to be humble not to be self-judgemental, not to believe in a concept, I alone am right,” Mr. Dhankhar said.

He said the nectar of democracy was consideration of the varying points of view.

“Civilisationally, we have been inclusive only for that process. Absence of dialogue, and by dialogue I mean a dialogue where there is no fear, a dialogue where there is freedom, a dialogue where the dialogue will not invite ridicule, a dialogue which will find consideration and not rejection at the drop of a hat, if that dialogue is absent it will [sound the] death knell for at least democratic institutions,” he said, adding that the absence of dialogue could be apocalyptic.

During an event in Mumbai in December, Mr. Dhankhar had urged Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to talk to farmers. “Agriculture Minister Sir, every moment is critical for you. I urge you, and as the person holding the second-highest constitutional position in India, I request you to please tell me, was any promise made to the farmer, and why has it not been fulfilled? What are we doing to fulfil the promise? There was an agitation last year, and there is one this year as well, and time is passing, but we are doing nothing,” he had said.

A week ago, at an event in Dharwad, he said the nation could afford to put the concerns of farmers on the backburner. “Time is the essence of resolution of all issues. But I would say time is of absolute essence when it comes to finding resolution of farmers’ problems. The government is working. We want everyone to be in synergetic mode, to converge with a positive mind to find solutions,” he said.