VP Dhankhar calls religious conversion "antithetical" to national values and constitutional principles

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], September 26 : Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday described religious conversion as "antithetical" to national values and constitutional principles, saying that a "sugar-coated philosophy" is being propagated to target vulnerable sections of society.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the 'Hindu Spiritual and Service Fair' in Rajasthan's Jaipur, Dhankhar highlighted that this trend is occurring through "policy, institutionally, and as part of a planned conspiracy."
"Sanatana never spreads poison; it channels its own powers. There is another indication that is very dangerous, one that could change the country's politics. This is happening through policy, institutionally, and in a planned conspiracy, and that is a religious conversion!" he said.
"A sugar-coated philosophy is being sold. Where do they go? They target the vulnerable sections of society. They encroach more into our tribal communities. They lure them with temptation. I firmly believe that we are witnessing, very painfully, religious conversions in a structured manner as a policy, and this is antithetical to our values and constitutional principles. There is an urgent need to neutralize such sinister forces. We must remain vigilant and act swiftly," he added.
The Vice President expressed concern over forces active in fragmenting India and emphasized the need for vigilance.
"You cannot imagine the extent of those who are currently active in fragmenting India. When I look at nationalism and patriotism, and observe events happening in neighboring countries, I see a narrative being pushed by an individual who has held a constitutional position, been a minister in the center, and is a senior advocate in the legal profession, suggesting that this could happen in India too. Is our democracy weak?" he asked.
Dhankhar asserted that the values enshrined in the Constitution reflect the essence of Sanatana Dharma, which he described as all-inclusive and the only way forward for humanity.
"The values of our Constitution beautifully define Sanatana Dharma. Sanatana Dharma is embedded in the Preamble. Our constitutional values emanate from Sanatana Dharma. The essence of Sanatana Dharma is reflected in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution. Sanatana is all-inclusive; it is the only way for humanity to move forward," he said.
He further said that the world's most ancient and richest Indian culture still preserves its all-encompassing nature, pure traditions, and life-affirming beliefs.
"We have faced many blows, but the essence of Indian civilization--its inclusiveness, sublimity, and sacrificial approach--has not been adversely affected. It is precisely because of its qualities of being both ancient and ever-renewing that it is known as Sanatana culture," he added.
He highlighted how Indian society has historically supported others in distress, even at the cost of personal hardship, and noted that this spirit of service was evident during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Invaders came, foreign powers ruled, yet there has never been a decline in our spirit of service. We have consistently walked this path. Even today, the sentiment of service is strongly present in Hindu society. When the COVID crisis hit the country, we witnessed how this spirit rose to greater heights. These days, various topics are being discussed at both national and international levels. Many reports are coming out that conduct studies. Most of them try to find shortcomings in us, suggesting that India is a country where four out of ten people are engaged in public service, helping others. I do not agree with the figure of forty percent; this assessment is not accurate; the actual number is much higher. We are a society that supports others in distress at the cost of our own stress," Dhankar said.
Dhankhar said that Hinduism speaks not only of humanity, but also emphasises the protection of all living beings and nature.
"This is the Vedic culture of Aryavarta, which has been free from the limitations of time, society, and specific classes. It has never been bound by chains. Hinduism is quintessentially inclusive in the true sense. It speaks not only of humanity but also emphasizes the protection of all living beings and nature present in the entire world. Our civilization does not extend only to the welfare of human beings; it extends to all living beings on the planet. Look at the various facets of our civilization. We will find this philosophy in abundance," he said.
Vice President Dhankhar emphasised India's unique role in addressing pressing global challenges, particularly climate change.
"This program has great contemporaneous relevance. We face several challenging issues for which only India can provide solutions. Climate change is an existential challenge. We have no other planet to live on besides Earth. If you delve into our culture and explore the philosophy of Sanatana, you will realize that we would never have allowed climate change to occur. If the world listened to us, and if some people living here heeded our words, we could have prevented it. Today, India is taking a significant lead. Our philosophy is being adopted by the world," he noted.