Every second in Parliament must be utilised for people's welfare: Dhankhar

KANPUR: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday said Parliament is meant for the cause of public welfare and stressed that every second of its working should be utilised for the welfare of the people.

The remarks of the vice president, who is also the chairman of the Rajya Sabha, came after protests over various issues like the controversy involving the Adani Group and violence in Sambhal and Manipur rocked both houses of Parliament the past week, disrupting routine work.

"We have entered the fourth quarter of the century of adoption of the Indian Constitution. Therefore, we must resolve that every second in the temple of democracy is utilised for the welfare of the people at large," Dhankhar said here.

"The temple of democracy (Parliament) is meant for worship for the cause of public welfare and it should not suffer sacrilege. I am sure all steps will be taken by the concerned elected representatives to ensure that we exemplify our conduct by decorum and discipline and not by disturbance and disruption," he added.

The vice president was speaking at the Golden Jubilee Founder's Day celebration of Seth Anandram Jaipuria School in Kanpur, with Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, state Assembly Speaker Satish Mahan, Uttar Pradesh ministers Rakesh Sachan and Pratibha Shukla, Kanpur MP Ramesh Awasthi in attendance.

Dhankhar noted that in the past, education institutes were established to motivate and their commitment was to serve the public cause and not fiscal gains.

"Over the years, we have seen many educational institutions have come and they are getting multiplied. But what is concerning is the commitment to education has taken a backseat and commerce dominates," he said.

"Every time I interact with the honourable governor (Patel) one common feature we get is are we really focusing on the essence of the right to education?" he said.

Dhankhar called for nurturing talent from rural areas particularly those who do not have access to affordable quality education.

The vice president also noted that Uttar Pradesh is emerging as an educational hub, a scenario that was not there earlier. This is happening because of the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, he said.

"Once the state was plagued by challenges and it was in news for issues of law and order but now the state has become a symbol of development efficiency and opportunity. You can see all around world-class infrastructure, expressways, and industrial growth and the old mindset has exited. That means it is a perfect setting for mushrooming growth in a positive sense of education institutions," he said.

"I appeal to the corporates, I appeal to the business houses, they must make it (education) a priority sector. Let them open good schools and let the motivation behind them be to give something back to the society, particularly the weaker sections," he added.

He also called on the students to follow their dreams and passions, whether in sports, arts, or any field of work of their choice. He exhorted them to stay curious.

"The government has taken great initiatives and I believe if a major change has to come in a society, if there has to be equality or get rid of its ills, then education is the most important transformative mechanism to bring about equality, equity," Dhankhar said.

"That is why a revolutionary step was taken and the provision of the Right to Education made. The moment one takes birth in this country, a right is with you. But it is for leaders, and society, for teachers and parents to converse (with students) and make it most meaningful, ground reality," he added.