NEW DELHI, Feb 20: On Thursday, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar emphasized that the most effective way to dominate a territory is by usurping its culture and annihilating its language. He expressed sorrow over how historical aggressors who invaded India did just that by constructing their places of worship atop indigenous ones.
Dhankhar noted that these aggressors were exceptionally oppressive and merciless towards our language, culture, and sacred sites. “Barbarity and vindictiveness were at their peak,” he remarked.
During his interaction with delegates at the 98th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, he remarked that a country’s identity is shaped by its cultural wealth and ethos, highlighting India’s uniqueness in this context, as no nation can rival its cultural richness.
He asserted that it is our solemn duty, a constitutional commitment instilled by our founding fathers, to nurture our languages and culture.
“This cultivation can only flourish through the support of those tirelessly dedicated to preserving literature,” he stated.
Reflecting on historical invasions, he reiterated that conquering a territory is less about physical takeover and more about prevailing over its culture and obliterating its language.
“They were extremely oppressive, cruel, and brutal towards our language, culture, and religious sites. The sheer extent of barbarity and vindictiveness is alarming. The enormity of their actions is evident in how they undermined us by establishing their sites over our sacred places… frustrating our languages. If our language fails to thrive, our history will also wither,” the Vice President asserted.
The event was also attended by NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar and his MP daughter, Supriya Sule. (PTI)
