Faceoff: Former VP Hamid Ansari’s comments at US forum cause uproar

Former vice president

Hamid Ansari

stirred controversy with his remarks on Wednesday, as the country celebrated its 73rd Republic Day. While participating in a virtual panel discussion organised by the

Indian American Muslim Council

(IAMC), Ansari expressed concern regarding the "rise of Hindu nationalism."

Listen to what Hamid Ansari said here.

"In recent years, we have experienced the emergence of trends and practices that dispute the well-established principle of civic nationalism and interpose a new and imaginary practice of cultural nationalism," said Ansari.

He further claimed, “It seeks to present an electoral majority in the guise of a religious majority and monopolized political power. It wants to distinguish citizens on the basis of their faith, give vent to intolerance, insinuate otherness, and promote disquiet and insecurity."

The IAMC had reportedly collected funds for the cause of the Rohingya crisis and paid to a lobby firm for getting India blacklisted by the USCIRF.

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi claimed that Ansari attempted to malign India's image on a global front on a forum backed by an adversarial entity, without naming Pakistan. He said that it is a matter of concern when a person who has been a constitutionally nominated body in the country, raises questions about the country's people, its nationalism and democracy.


Ansari’s remarks triggered outrage on social media, with many slamming the former VP for “anti-India” views, while others felt he was only exercising his freedom of speech.


‘IAMC is backed by Jamaat-e-Islami’


Valid question


‘How he reached one of the highest offices in India’


‘Why this hypocrisy’


‘India is the only country where every faith has grown’