'Shocking': VP Jagdeep Dhankhar on bid to rig Indian elections

New Delhi, Feb 21 (IANS) Calling nationalism as every citizen’s first religion, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday said he was shocked by the revelation about a foreign attempt to manipulate Indian elections and called for exposing those who colluded in such an attack on our democracy. 

Addressing the Global Conference of Meditation Leaders, he referred to the revelations by US President Donald Trump and said “The democratic process of this country was sought to be manipulated to dent, taint the purity of our electoral system”.

Referring to the information put out by the US administration about the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) meddling in Indian elections and spending millions to influence voter turnout in the country, the Vice President said, “One thing is right because that is factual: amount was given, and the amount was not small.”

“We need to destroy such a conspiracy after getting to its root, as suggested in Chanakya Niti,” he said.

“We need to expose the identity of those people who accepted such an assault on democracy principles,” he said.

“It is our national duty to attack the power who plotted to taint the purity of our electoral system,” he said, adding that India will become ‘Viksit Bharat’ only when there is peace and the right kind of atmosphere – even for meditation.

He also praised the policies of the Narendra Modi government about its welfare schemes like toilets in all homes, gas connections, piped water supply, internet connectivity, easy access to health and education facilities and road connectivity for providing the right kind of atmosphere for well-being and mental peace of the common man.

“But still there are some people who try to find fault in everything,” he said, adding that there always be shortcomings in all systems but that is a precursor to society’s progress.

Later, he presided over the Valedictory Function of the 5th Rajya Sabha Internship Program at the Vice-President's Enclave and vouched for the strength of national institutions like the Election Commission and Judiciary.

“Believe in our institutions because they are very strong, be it our Election Commission or the Judiciary. Election Commission is wrong when you lose and right when you win; what kind of formula is this?” he asked, in a veiled reference to politicians who blame the poll panel for their electoral failures.