Vice President’s Secretariat
Text of the Vice-President’s address to a delegation of Women Journalists (Excerpts)
Posted On: 24 DEC 2024 3:54PM by PIB Delhi
Honourable ladies, everything will go on record. क्योंकि कहा जाता है nothing will go on record. Chairman कहते रहते हैं, कहते रहते हैं| This is a good day. Everything will go on record. Be part of the record. Will be guiding record for all of us.
Everyone around, my greetings on Christmas, my greetings for the upcoming New Year, my greetings for a very special reason that the nation has entered the last quarter of a century of adoption of the Indian Constitution. My greetings to all of you for being part of that great journey, which we at our youth did not have the occasion even to imagine. And that is, a developed nation, Bharat, is no longer a dream. It’s a mission, achievable and to be achieved when India celebrates centenary of its independence in 2047, if not earlier.
I got into parliament in 89. That was a big change. The change was brought about because the country had revulsion against corruption, which then was defined in the shape of bofors.
And a party that enjoyed a majority of more than 400, became party in opposition. But then also I remember we had wit, humor, sarcasm, repartee in parliament. We had discourse between ruling bench, the treasury bench. Why should they call it treasury bench? Is there a treasure? Reflect. I would say ruling bench. and the opposition bench. I recall when journalists were in the press gallery.
And our Prime Minister, V.P. Singh, after making a point known for his one-liners, was every time, according to the then, leader of the opposition, Rajiv Gandhi, looking at the gallery.
Intervention came from Rajiv Gandhi, then the leader of the opposition. And he said, Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister every time looks at the press gallery after making a point.
and came the response from Mr. V. P. Singh. But unlike you, I don’t smile at them every time.
When I got a portfolio of parliamentary affairs. Press room was next to my room. So I had two very distinguished gentlemen who dotted Indian politics as stalwarts. They stepped into my room to bless me.
One Chaudhary Bansilal. His daughter-in-law is a distinguished member of Rajya Sabha.
And NKP Salve. His son Harish Salve is making us proud nationally and globally. They both got into my room. There was generational gap. Their age, my age. They enjoyed power in real situations, I was perhaps the junior-most minister. और कहा जगदीप , तेरा कमरा तो पत्रकारों के कमरे के पास है , भगवान् तेरी रक्षा करे।
And I saw many of them. Rajat Sharma, Prabhu Chawla, Harish Gupta, Dua Sahib, Harish Shankar Vyas. Look, Neerja Chowdhury, whom we had the good occasion to give an award, Chaudhary Charan Singh Award, only day before and I received her yesterday.
पर पत्रकार तो बहुत तेज़ होते हैं। नीरजा जी ने बहुत अच्छी किताब लिखी है। “How Prime Ministers decide” पर incumbent Prime Minister का area उन्होंने cover नहीं किया है।
But when I found that there is a body in place, Women Journalist Welfare Trust.
It is needed. It has not come a day too soon. It needs to be nurtured. It must be a very impactful platform because journalism is a tough game.
To maintain journalistic ethics, to be investigative in journalism, to look at areas that the government doesn’t want you to see, you need a welfare trust and you need a strong body, a legal entity, not physical body, so that your interest is taken care of. If you will look around the globe, you will find women, journalists and anchors making us proud. And in our country that number is getting enlarged by the day. As a matter of fact, it is a matter of time when this particular field will be dominated by your gender.
But I find that you’ve taken off well. Cliché है, well begun is half done. कई लोग question करेंगे इस उम्र में भी आप यही कह रहे हो But I am only buttressing my point.
The first seminar catalyzed human thought. You chose a very good subject. Is this Amrit Kal for women of Indian democracy? And why not?
An epochal development took place in 2023. After 3 decades of setbacks, where there was intention but no effort. There was effort but no intention. But it couldn’t fructify into a constitutional prescription. But in 2023, you had such a game changer constitutional amendment, one third reservation for women in state legislature and Lok Sabha. I’m sure it will happen in Rajya Sabha also, matter of time. Big thing. Immediately. My heart pains when I notice. आज ही क्यों नहीं कर देते?
Now I can understand the ignorant talking about it. But when knowledgeable people monetize ignorance of the larger populace to propagate their political philosophy. Nothing can militate more severely against public interest than this. One thing is sure, it is bound to be a ground reality. And imagine when this fructifies, more than one-third of women will be in legislatures and Lok Sabha, because one-third is reserved. They can still contest for the unreserved category. Then there’s a qualitative angle to this reservation. It is vertical and horizontal. So while there is reservation already for SC and ST. In that segment also, one third will go to women.
So, it is really an Amrit Kaal for women in Indian democracy. You will be part of policy making, decision making, governance, by virtue of your strength in parliamentary institutions. They can be protected only by media. But if media becomes destroyer of our reputations, what we can do on earth?
But if you would reflect 2024 Republic Day Parade on Kartavya Path. Oh my God, my gender was just not visible. In the parade, in the weaponry, in the sky. It was dominated by you all throughout. And why not? India’s finance minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, set a record, one, first woman to be full-fledged finance minister. And the only one, males included, to have presented budget for so many years in a row. Very talented and let me tell you no finance minister or a finance director can be popular. Cannot be popular.
If a finance minister becomes popular, you can imagine, holocaust is coming.But look at what she has done in 10 years plus. An achievement in which a woman has contributed so massively.
We were part of Fragile 5, Tottering economy. And don’t be surprised, I was a minister when our gold was shipped, air shipped, to be placed to two banks in Switzerland, because foreign exchange was around one billion US dollars. And she enjoys, by her work and government policies and leadership of the Prime Minister. A foreign exchange in excess of 650 billion US dollars, touching 700 billion dollars on occasions.
We are now fifth largest global economy and Japan and Germany will be overtaken in next year or two, third largest. But then our role doesn’t end. To be a developed nation, our income has to go eightfold. A daunting task, but achievable.
So I have no doubt that in Bharat, which is unusually seeing an ecosystem of hope and possibility, your role is significant. Your challenges only mean opportunities for you. In your profession, you will have to contend with disruptive technologies. You’ll have to contend with it. And learn fast at it. Because narratives are given wings only to generate sensation.
Quite often I have seen for myself, these are fuelled in orchestrated manner by forces that are determined to be inimical to the interest of this country.
Their objective is to destroy, brick by brick, our constitutional institutions, slur the presidency, and mind you, who is the President? First tribal woman to become President of this country. Your gender. You know how she was addressed.
The Prime Minister has created history, being second one since independence, to be continually in his third term. And in third term at a time when politics is very challenging, highly representative, a rare owner. Some are still not reconciled to this.
You take on our constitutional institutions. I don’t hold brief for myself. But look at the notice against Vice President. Just have a look at it.
Just look at the six links they have given. You’ll be shocked. चंद्रशेखर जी ने कहा था, सब्ज़ी काटने के चाकू से bypass surgery कभी मत करो। वो तो सब्ज़ी काटने का चाकू भी नहीं था। मेरा notice जिसने लिखा उसके चाकू में जंग लगा हुआ था । जल्दबाजी थी। मैं पढ़कर दंग रह गया। पर मुझे आश्चर्य हुआ कि आपमें से किसी ने पढ़ा नहीं है। यदि पढ़ते तो आपको कई दिन तक नींद नहीं आती।
Let me declare why the notice emanated.
Any constitutional position has to be vindicated, has to be vindicated by commitment to sublimity, sterning qualities, constitutionalism. We are not in a position to settle scores. When issue came about, leader of the opposition, Rahul Gandhi, he became leader of the opposition later on. It was there in Rajya sabha.
The then leader of the house, Piyush Goyal, raised the issue. I decided it. Read it. I’ll be happy to be guided if there is anything wrong. They have taken no exception to this. But they couldn’t digest how could the Chair so decide?
I know chairperson UPA is a noble lady, but she dragged in the constitutional position I was called upon to decide. I decided. Media has not read. Why?
कल किसान दिवस था, देश के किसान के लिए बहुत महत्वपूर्ण था, ग्रामीण विकास के लिए महत्वपूर्ण था। मैंने आह्वान किया था कि 730 से ज़्यादा कृषि विज्ञान केंद्रों में कुछ हो रहा होगा। कृषि अनुसंधान परिषद, इंडियन काउंसिल ऑफ एग्रीकल्चर रिसर्च के Institutes में कुछ हो रहा होगा। आपके mainstream media के अंदर श्रद्धांजलि देते हुए फोटो नहीं आई है। बाकि बात तो छोड़ दीजिये। ये सब मेरे पर लेकर, जो वज्रपात हुआ है, क्यूं कह रहा हूं? इसलिए कह रहा हूं कि you are the only one. खबर वो है जिसको कोई छिपाना चाहता है ,That is the news. You are the last hope.
Because for success of democracy, two things are inalienable. They have to be there. One, expression. The right to expression defines democracy. If expression is qualified. or compromised, or made subject to coercion? democratic values are flawed. It is antithetical to democratic evolution. And second dialogue. And dialogue means, before you use your vocal cords, allow your ears to entertain the other point of view. If these two things do not happen, democracy can neither be nurtured nor blossomed. And what we have seen in parliament.
Have you noticed in 10, 20, 30 years, any great debate? Have you noticed any great contribution made on the floor of the house? We are in the news for the wrong reason. We have learned to live with order, which is only disorder and nothing of order. But the pressure has to come from your category. Accountability has to be enforced by media because media is the only conveyance to the people at large. Media can strike chord with the people, generate pressure on public representatives.
When we need to honour the sanctity of these temples of democracy, we countenance day in and day out, these being sacrileged.
Before resuming my seat in Rajya Sabha, on the table, you would find always more than 50% women. Rajya Sabha, the table is managed by more than 50% women are there. When it comes to Vice-Chairpersons, for every session, I have nominated more than 50% women. And when it was that great day in September, Women’s Reservation Bill debate. Seventeen women parliamentarians assisted by me and Harivansh Ji because of constitutional compulsion, presided. That was history. And their performance was remarkable. In foreign delegations, both the employees and members of parliament from your gender are getting their due.
Thank you so much !
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JK/RC/SM
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