Khap is our culture, don’t assess it on isolated incidents: Dhankhar

He was speaking at the release of a book ‘9 Incredible Years of Haryana Government: Emergence of a New and Vibrant Haryana’ at Surajkund fair in Faridabad on Saturday.

The event was also attended by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Governor Bandaru Dattatreya.

The Vice President said when he was called for the book launch, he didn’t know what was in the book. “But, I knew what was the state of affairs, the transformation and I knew it would be in the book and it is,” he said.

Talking about his ties with the Haryana CM, he said, “My relationship with Manohar Lal Khattar is long and deep. What he has done in Haryana was never an easy job. His motto is all for the state, all for the people, nothing for himself.”

Speaking on the state of the country, he said, “Ten years ago, India was known for two things — scams and the image of a weak economy in front of the world. Look how far we have come. Today we are the fifth largest economic power in the world. We have left Canada, England and France behind and in the next two-three years, India will be the third largest economy in the world, surpassing Japan and Germany. It means that corruption eats into development. Corruption is antithetical to meritocracy,” said Dhankhar. “In 2047, when we complete 100 years of Independence, India will be developed and will rank one in the world,” he said.

Governor Dattatreya expressed pride in the developmental changes witnessed by the people of Haryana over the past nine years. He said due to this sustained development, future generations will always cherish these transformative moments. The Governor said Haryana has now emerged as one of the leading states in the country and attributed this progress to the government’s commitment to equitable development, corruption-free governance and transparency, guided by the principle of “Haryana ek-Haryanvi ek”.

Addressing the gathering, CM Khattar said the book encapsulates perspectives from individuals occupying various positions in politics, education, social work, administration and the judiciary. Reflecting on his nine-year tenure, he said the government was guided by the “principles of good governance and Antyodaya, and it has endeavored to improve the lives of the state’s residents”.