Sun Mar 02 15:55:17 UTC 2025: **Vice President Raises Concerns Over India’s Demographic Shifts**
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, March 2, 2025 – Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar voiced serious concerns Sunday about India’s demographic challenges, citing “orchestrated, financially fueled misadventures to effect conversions” and the influx of illegal migrants. Speaking at the 4th P. Parameswaran memorial lecture, Dhankhar highlighted the vulnerability of the needy to religious conversion attempts disguised as charity. He emphasized that natural demographic evolution is crucial, and artificial shifts, likened to a “virtual earthquake,” are alarming.
Dhankhar expressed particular worry over the impact of millions of illegal migrants straining national resources like employment, healthcare, and education, and influencing electoral politics. He noted the existence of areas where elections are essentially predetermined due to these demographic shifts, describing them as “fortresses” where outcomes are “foreclosed by democratic demographic dislocations.”
The Vice President stressed that these challenges threaten both nationalism and democracy and require more than just policy interventions to address. He also paid tribute to P. Parameswaran, praising his commitment to national unity. The event was attended by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and other dignitaries.
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