Former Vice-President Hamid Ansari is in the pillory over the "cultural nationalism" remarks he made while addressing an event organised by the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) on Wednesday.
In a video interface, Ansari raised concerns over ‘electoral majority in guise of a religious majority’ and the human rights situation in India. "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...It seeks to present an electoral majority in the guise of a religious majority and monopolise political power. It wants to distinguish citizens on the basis of their faith, give vent to intolerance, insinuate otherness, and promote disquiet and insecurity...some of its recent manifestations are chilling," Ansari was quoted in an IAMC press release as saying.
The remarks elicited a sharp comment from Union Minority Affairs Minister Naqvi. "Yesterday the entire country was celebrating and hoisting a flag at Lal Chowk in Srinagar; at that time, a man, who had occupied a constitutional post, defamed the country from an anti India platform provided by an organisation having link with the ISI," Naqvi said.
"This Indo-American Muslim Council has a link with SIMI and ISI, which have always used the forum for anti-India propaganda. Modi bashing is turning into an India-bashing conspiracy. While bashing Modi, they have started India bashing.’’
Strongly condemning the comments, Naqvi further asked if Ansari can tell whether it is possible for a Hindu to become President and vice president of Pakistan. He further alleged that the Council was involved in the Tripura riots last year.
Four US lawmakers, who also participated in the discussion, too expressed concern over the human rights situation in India. “As the Indian government continues to target the practices of minority faiths, it creates an atmosphere where discrimination and violence can take root. In recent years, we have seen an uptick in online hate speeches and acts of hate, including vandalised mosques, torched churches, and communal violence,” said Democratic Senator Ed Markey, who has a history of taking anti-India stand, including opposing the landmark India-US civil nuclear deal during the Manmohan Singh regime.
The three other Congressmen who spoke — Jim McGovern, Andy Levin and Jamie Raskin — also have taken an anti-India stand, irrespective of the governments in power in New Delhi. “There have been a lot of problems with the issue of religious authoritarianism and discrimination taking place in India,” Raskin said. “So we want to make sure that India stays on the path of respecting religious liberty, freedom, pluralism, toleration and dissent for everybody,” he added. “Regrettably, today, the world’s largest democracy is seeing backsliding, human rights under attack and religious nationalism. Since 2014, India has fallen from 27 to 53 on the Democracy Index. And Freedom House has downgraded India from free to partly free,” Levin said.
