Patna

Vice President CP Radhakrishnan on Sunday asserted that it was the concept of "dharma" that kept the country united, despite its people speaking "different languages".

He made the remark in his address to the valedictory function of Unmesha International Literature Festival here.

"One dignitary from Europe once asked me how India remains united despite having no common language. I replied that the people here may speak in different languages, but they remain united through the concept of dharma," said the vice president.

Radhakrishnan, who was on his first visit to the state since becoming the vice president, was received warmly at the airport by Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha.

In his speech at the function, Radhakrishnan called Khan "an old friend, since the days when both of us were members of Parliament".

The vice president, who, on his way to the venue, made a brief halt and paid floral tributes to a statue of legendary socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan, recounted his own association with the 'Loknayak'.

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"I had immersed myself, at the age of 19, in the Sampoorna Kranti movement launched by Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan. I went on to become a district general secretary of the movement for total revolution," said the vice president, who had started off as a volunteer of the RSS in his native state of Tamil Nadu.