Former Vice-President Hamid Ansari
VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal criticised Ansari after the former Vice-President cited a remark attributed to former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru about the threat posed by “Hindu right-wing communalism”.
Ansari made the remarks while speaking at an event organised at the India Islamic Cultural Centre to remember constitutional expert and author A.G. Noorani. He referred to Noorani’s 2019 book The RSS: A Menace to India and said the Nehru remark had been recorded by former Foreign Secretary Jagat Singh Gundevia.
Ansari also spoke about what he described as emerging trends challenging civic nationalism and the rise of what he called cultural nationalism.
Reacting to the remarks, Bansal accused Ansari of having what he described as an “anti-Hindu, Nehruvian and radical mindset”.
Bansal said Ansari should look at the “mirror” of his own public life before making such comments about the Hindu majority. He also referred to Ansari’s tenure as Vice-President and alleged that he had attended programmes linked to the Popular Front of India. These are allegations made by Bansal and have been disputed in the wider political debate.
Bansal further questioned Ansari’s record as a diplomat and alleged that there were controversies connected to his tenure as an ambassador.
Bansal also criticised Ansari over his earlier position on the Ayodhya verdict.
He said India has a large number of mosques and questioned Ansari’s criticism of the Supreme Court’s Ayodhya judgment. Bansal alleged that Ansari’s latest remarks again reflected what he described as an “anti-India and anti-Hindu mindset”.
Bansal urged Ansari to move beyond what he called “Nehruvadi, Jinnahvadi and anti-Hindu thinking” and said he should consider the positions and respect he had received during his public life.
The controversy follows Ansari’s remarks on communalism and civic nationalism at the Noorani memorial event, with his comments drawing criticism from the VHP and other groups.
