NEW DELHI, Sep 20: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Sunday criticised former vice president Mohammad Hamid Ansari over his recent remarks on “Hindu right wing communalism”, accusing him of promoting what it described as a “Nehruvian” and “radical” mindset.
VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal said Ansari should examine his own public record before making observations about Hindu society. He was responding to remarks made by Ansari at an event held at the India Islamic Cultural Centre on Saturday to commemorate constitutional expert A G Noorani.
During the programme, Ansari referred to former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s observation that the “real danger to India is not communism, but Hindu right-wing communalism”. Ansari said the statement was recorded by former foreign secretary Jagat Singh Gundevia and later documented by Noorani in his 2019 book, The RSS: A Menace to India.
Ansari was speaking about what he described as emerging challenges to civic nationalism and the broader political and social environment in India.
Reacting to the comments in a post on X, Bansal questioned Ansari’s criticism of Hindu society and referred to his previous public positions and activities. He also alleged that Ansari had earlier been associated with events linked to the Popular Front of India (PFI), and made further accusations concerning his tenure as an ambassador.
Bansal also criticised Ansari over his reported comments concerning the Ayodhya verdict. He cited the presence of a large number of mosques in India while arguing that the country has a long history of religious coexistence.
The VHP spokesperson further accused Ansari of displaying an “anti-India” and “Hindu-hating” outlook. He urged the former vice president to move beyond what he termed a “Nehruvian” and “Jinnah-ite” mindset.
Bansal concluded by telling Ansari to reflect on his own public life before questioning others, intensifying the VHP’s criticism of the former vice president’s remarks.