Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Maharashtra), Feb 22 (PTI) Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday claimed that illegal immigrants are interfering in India's electoral process and becoming "decisive players" within its democratic system.

In apparent reference to the recent deportation of illegal immigrants by the United States government, he said every Indian should ask when this process would begin in our country.

Dhankhar was speaking at the 65th convocation ceremony of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University here.

"Crores of people who have no right to live in India are living here...They are making their livelihood here. They are making demands on our resources. On our education, health sector, housing sector. Now things have gone further. They are intervening in our electoral process.

Within our democratic system, they are becoming significant and even decisive players," he said.

"It is the duty of all of us that we spread a mentality (`manasikta') in the country, create such an atmosphere....that every Indian becomes alert to this," he said.

Without referring to the US, he said some countries recently deported Indian nationals who had been "taken there through deception." "A question should occur to every Indian -- when would we start doing this?" Dhankhar said.

He also touched on the issue of religious conversions, stating that a person can follow any religion of his or her choice, but when conversions take place through "enticement, greed, allurement, by temptation", the objective is to gain supremacy by changing the demography.

There are examples in history of some countries where this phenomenon played out, the vice president further said.

"The very character of those nations was erased, the majority community that existed there disappeared. We cannot allow this demography invasion. Organic demographic growth is acceptable, but if this is disruptive with the sinister design to control, we must be on high alert," he said.

In an apparent reference to alleged USAID funding for raising voter turnout in India, the vice president said there was now "authoritative" revelation that elections were sought to be manipulated.

There should be "deep, thorough, micro-level investigation" to expose those trying to manipulate the democracy in the country, he added.

There were also deliberate attempts to undermine democratic institutions, the vice president further said.

“In a systemic manner, the President is ridiculed. The Prime Minister is ridiculed. My position is ridiculed. Our institutions are tainted. Be it Election Commission or the judiciary," said the vice president, adding that the people behind these attempts do not have national interest in their heart.

Expressing concern over challenges to public order, he called for a change in mindset.

“Public order is challenged, public property is burned, people take to agitations where redress lies not on the street, but either in court of law or in theatres of legislature....Mindset has to be changed, you have to be a very powerful pressure group. You have to ask your public representatives, bureaucracy, the executive, are you doing your job?" he said.

Public representatives are elected to engage in debate and discussion and not to disrupt, said Dhankhar, the chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

"Are they really doing it? If they are not performing their job, well you have a job cut out for them because now you have the power of social media," he added.

On the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution, Dhankhar said they must be "earned" through diligent performance of fundamental and civic duties.

Talking about India's aim to become a developed country, he said the challenges in the way are surmountable.

"We will have to increase our per capita income eight-fold, and therefore all of us must move fast and with commitment. That commitment requires we should believe in our nation. Commitment to nationalism is non-negotiable because it is directly connected to our freedom," he added.

The vice president also referred to the renaming of Aurangabad (a name derived from Mughal emperor Aurangzeb) as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and said the country was securing its glory, albeit belatedly.

In the last one decade, the country has witnessed "exponential economic rise, phenomenal infrastructural upsurge, deep digitization and technology penetration," he said, adding that no other country has grown at such a speed during this period.

"This nation is therefore full of hope and possibility. This nation is no longer a nation with potential, but (it is a nation) on rise which is unstoppable. People of this country have toilets in every house, gas connection in every house, internet connections, road connectivity. Infrastructure connectivity is making life easier. Our access, adaptation to technology is remarkable.... policies of the government make enormous opportunities available to you. If you have an idea, the government policies will handhold you," Dhankhar said.

Start-ups in tier 2 and 3 cities are coming from ordinary families and not business families, he noted.

The vice president also said that social transformation will follow when there is social harmony. "Social harmony will define unity in diversity. Let us generate social harmony at all costs," he added. PTI AW KRK