People floating anti-national narrative can go to Europe if there are no takers here: Vice President Dhankhar

New Delhi, September 13

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday said research scholars have to be at the forefront to counter “sinister and anti-national narratives” that are floated periodically about India.

If things do not work here for those with such a “pernicious” agenda, they “can go to Europe… to the UK, there will always be some takers”, he said in an apparent dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is on a tour of Europe.

Addressing an event here, Dhankhar said that some people face “indigestion” when they see the development of India.

“Narratives that are pernicious, sinister and anti-national in character floated periodically. Jab yahan dal nahin galti (when things don’t work out here), you can go to Europe, you can go to the UK, there will always be some takers,” he said after the inauguration of the renovated library of the Indian Council of World Affairs here.

Rahul Gandhi had said in Brussels on Friday last that there was a full-scale assault on the democratic institutions of India and there are concerns in the European Union (EU) quarters over this attempt to “stifle” the country’s democratic structures.

The BJP has targeted Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of insulting the country on foreign soil and peddling anti-India agenda.

Addressing the research faculty of ICWA, the vice president noted the widespread appreciation for India’s role during its Presidency of the G20 and the success of the recently concluded G20 Leaders’ Summit.

“India’s presidency of G20 was a breakthrough. It generated global consensus. There was legitimate, rightful recognition across the board of a resurgent India as a global power,” Dhankhar said.