Former Vice President Hamid Ansari’s recent comments on "Hindu right-wing communalism" have drawn sharp condemnation from a top Islamic cleric, who alleged that such statements risk disturbing the country’s social harmony.
Chief Imam of the All India Imam Organisation, Umer Ahmed Ilyasi, alleged that Ansari made the remarks to rebuild his image among Muslims and warned that such statements could fuel societal tensions.
"I strongly condemn this statement. Today, Hamid Ansari sahab has remembered Muslims again. When he was in power and held important positions, he was secular. Today, he has remembered Muslims," Ilyasi told ANI.
"Muslims are not asking about him, and to improve his image among them, he has made such statements. I feel that somewhere this is a big conspiracy to disturb the atmosphere of the country," he added.
What Ansari said
Speaking on Saturday at an event organised at the India Islamic Cultural Centre to commemorate late constitutional expert A.G. Noorani, Ansari cited former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's view that "the real danger to India was not communism, but Hindu right-wing communalism."
Ansari also referred to concerns raised in Noorani’s book, The RSS: A Menace to India and also cited the author's observations on nationalism, identity, and political developments.
"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," Ansari said.
He claimed these emerging trends seek to present an electoral majority under the guise of a religious majority to monopolize political power.
"It wants to distinguish citizens based on their faith, give vent to intolerance, insinuate otherness, and promote disquiet and insecurity," he added.
'Support Bhagawat's remarks'
Reacting to Ansari's statement, Imam Ilyasi suggested that the former vice president also acknowledge and support conciliatory statements made by RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat regarding the Muslim community.
"He should understand that when Mohan Bhagwat ji said that the DNA of all Indians is the same, that Shivlings should not be searched under mosques, and recently gave a statement in favour of the rights of Muslims during his visit to America; these statements should also be supported," Ilyasi said.
BJP, VHP slam Ansari
Ansari’s remarks also drew fierce criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).
VHP leader Vinod Bansal alleged Ansari had attended programmes hosted by radical organizations like the PFI and SDPI during his tenure as Vice President.
"The threat is not from the majority Hindu society of India. The threat is from those with extremist mindsets who spread the poison of minority-majority divisions and try to protect those who promote radicalism," Bansal said.
BJP alleged that Ansari’s statement highlighted the Congress party’s "anti-Hindu politics." In a post on X, the party noted that alongside Rahul Gandhi’s past remarks on Hindu groups and terrorism, Ansari's comments reflect an ongoing pattern in the opposition's political narrative.
