Sanatan pride is rebuilding. What was lost is being rebuilt with stronger determination-VP

Vice-President Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar today stated that, “...Sanatan pride is rebuilding. What was lost is being rebuilt — with stronger determination.” 

Addressing students and faculty members at the Pondicherry University today, Shri Dhnakhar stated, “India's educational geography and history have been dotted with great centers of learning — Takshashila, Nalanda, Mithila, Vallabhi, and many more. These institutions defined, during that period of history, our Bharat to the entire world. Scholars from all over the world came to share their ideas and learn about our wisdom. But something went wrong. Nalanda's nine-story library — and just look at those times: 1300 years ago, a nine-story library! Dharamganj, it used to be called. That was the house of manuscripts that advanced then- mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy. In two waves of invasion — first the Islamic invasion, and then British colonialism — India suffered a blow to its knowledge heritage. Bakhtiyar Khilji, around 1190, demonstrated cruelty and barbarity. He acted totally against any sense of civilizational ethos. And then, the books alone did not burn. He slit the throats of monks, smashed stupas, and razed the soul of India in his assessment — not realizing that the soul of Bharat is indestructible. The fire raged for years. It swallowed 9 million — 90 lakh — books and texts. Our history turned to cinders. Nalanda was much beyond a school of thought; it was a living, vibrant temple of knowledge for the benefit of entire humanity. Nine stories of libraries towered over the plains, filled with palm leaf manuscripts…..For three months, flames ate through them. Smoke so thick — which we see recently on account of global conflagrations.” 

Urging to bring down political temperature and engage in dialogue, Shri Dhankhar stated, “Friends, there is need for change of national mindset also. Let me first talk about the political system. We have picked up the habit of not making a difference but differing one with one another. Any good idea coming from someone else and not from me is wrong. Because I believe in the supremacy of my own idea. In the process I am sacrificing our Vedic philosophy of Anantavad. There has to be Abhivyakti, there has to be Vaad-Vivad, there has to be expression, there has to be dialogue. The two are complementary. We have to move ahead in that direction. We are too keen to raise the political temperature. Climate change is doing that for us. We all are concerned. Why should we melt the glaciers of our patience? Why should we act impatiently getting away from our civilisational, spiritual essence? I appeal to the political firmament, the leadership in politics. Please moderate the temperature of politics. There is no room for confrontation. There has to be dialogue. Disruption and disturbance are not the mechanism, which framers of Constitution in Constituent Assembly have taught us. It is high time when India is on the rise and the world is looking at us. There are bound to be challenges because India at the moment is the most aspirational nation in the world. As a result of phenomenal development of last decade, those challenges to us will get complexed if our politicians do not measure to the requirement of always listening to national interest and national development.”