Dhankhar backs Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi, hails NEP

Days after criticising the Supreme Court for setting deadlines for the President to decide on bills referred by Governors, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday defended Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi, asserting that he is acting in accordance with his constitutional duties.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the Conference of Vice-Chancellors of State, Central, and Private Universities of Tamil Nadu in Udhagamandalam, Dhankhar emphasised the Governor’s constitutional role. He said,“The Governor is doing this conference because it is his constitutional ordainment. He has taken oath under the Indian Constitution under Article 159. The oath he has taken as Governor is to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution and the law. By his oath, he is further enjoined to devote to the service and well-being of people of Tamil Nadu.”

The Vice President also said that by organising events like conference of Vice-Chancellors Ravi is vindicating his oath.

“The Vice-Chancellors of today are enormously talented and visionaries. They might face a big task, difficult terrain or air pockets, but I believe in their power to transform. They are worthy academicians who have the capacity to bring about results,” Dhankar said. He urged both central and state governments to place greater trust in the institution of the Vice-Chancellor.

Faculty availability, faculty retention, and sometimes faculty attrition were among the challenges faced by the Vice-Chancellors, he pointed out.

He also expressed deep sorrow over the recent terror attack in Pahalgam and observed a two-minute silence.

“I join the Nation in expressing profound grief and outrage at the heinous terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed innocent lives,” Dhankar said.

Speaking on National Education Policy (NEP), he said that the policy aligns with our civilisation ethos.

“The most significant aspect of the NEP is that it allows students to learn in their mother tongue. It has got us out of the colonial regime. Even medicine and engineering in local languages, which could not be entertained at one point of time, even in dreams, it is getting shape on the ground,” Dhankar said. He also praised India’s diverse legacy of multiple languages.