Ex Vice President Of India Hamid Ansari, on the occasion of 73RD Republic Day, participated in a virtual congressional briefing organised by Indian American Muslim Council on the topic “Protecting India’s Pluralist Constitution”. As the country celebrated India on Wednesday, Hamid Ansari went ahead to criticise India’s democracy. In the virtual congressional briefing organised by a rather dubious council, Ansari expressed concern on the rise of Hindu nationalism.
Hamid Ansari said that in the recent years, we have experienced the ‘emergence of trends and practises’ that dispute the well ‘established principle of civic nationalism’, and interposes a new and imaginary practice of cultural nationalism.
Pointing out that almost 20 per cent of Indians belong to religious minorities, he said that the Indian democracy seeks to present an electoral majority in the guise of a religious majority and monopolised political power. It wants to distinguish citizens on the basis of their faith, give vent to intolerance, insinuate otherness and promote disquiet and insecurity. Ansari further suggested that these trends need to be contested-legally and politically.
Minorities Affairs minister of India Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has slammed Hamid Ansari’s remarks at the IAMC’s virtual congressional briefing. In response to his comments, Naqvi stated that it is crazy that the bashing of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now evolving into a conspiracy for India bashing. He added that people who used to exploit minority votes are now concerned about the country’s current scenario.”
