The former Vice President said that during the last week of his tenure two incidents aroused resentment in some quarters.
Former Vice President Hamid Ansari has finally reacted to his statement that 'minorities are feeling insecure in India'. Ansari has spoken at length about secularism, safety of Muslims in India and other topics in an exclusive interview with Zee Media.
During the interview, Ansari said that secularism has “almost disappeared” from government’s official vocabulary. He added that most of his views on secularism emanates from Bombai Judgement, which was delivered by Supreme Court.
When asked that whether secularism for him means appeasement of a particular community, Ansari said that there is nothing like appeasement in this country. He added that appeasement means over and above something that is required and there is no context to use this word in India.
When asked whether the word secularism was in government's dictionary before 2014, Ansari replied in affirmative saying that it was not enough though. When Zee News anchor asked Ansari about the reason over his statement that Muslims are insecure in India, the former Vice President did niot give a direct answer. Ansari said that he has said this on the basis of public perception.
The former Vice President said that during the last week of his tenure two incidents aroused resentment in some sections and the people thought that his statement has some hidden meaning. In his new book 'By Many a Happy Accident: Recollection of a Life', the former Vice President has also mentioned abut his conversations and interactions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The first incident was related to an address to the 25th Convocation of the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, where former V-P's theme was 'Two Obligatory Isms: Why Pluralism and Secularism Are Essential for our Democracy', wherein "I had argued for an urgency of going beyond tolerance, to acceptance, through continuous dialogue for promoting harmony since the need for it is highlighted by enhanced apprehensions of insecurity among segments of our citizen body, particularly Dalits, Muslims and Christians".
Ansari wrote in his book that the second incident was an "unscripted interview to Karan Thapar on Rajya Sabha TV on 9 August 2017, which covered all aspects of the work of the Vice President. The interview also included questions about 'illiberal nationalism' and perceptions on Muslims in Indian society and polity".
"Some questions were focused on my Bengaluru address as also on the earlier speech of August 2015 at the All-India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat. In answer to them, I said that 'a feeling of unease, a sense of insecurity is creeping in' among Muslims. I said that affirmative action where needed should be taken and opined that Indian Muslims are sui generis and are not attracted to extremist ideologies," he writes in the book.
Ansari has also provided glimpses about the last day of his term of office and his last day as Chairman of Rajya Sabha.
"The day's proceedings record the details of the morning session. The interventions from party leaders, front and backbenchers, and nominated personalities were full of compliments and complimentary references. Procedural correctives, the 'no legislation in the din' rule and dignified impartiality were specifically mentioned. One senior member on the back benches blessed me with a Sanskrit verse and wished me long life in Upanishadic terms! "The PM participated in this, and while fulsome in his compliments was somewhat selective in his reference to my work. Hardly any mention was made of my period as Chairman, Rajya Sabha and while my professional career as a diplomat was alluded to and lauded, it was sought to be pigeonholed in the 'atmosphere, thought process, debates amidst such people' (meaning Muslim countries) where I was assigned, supplemented by work in Muslim surroundings as VC of AMU and as Chairman of NMC," Ansari said in his book.
"There may have been some struggle within (all these years) but from now onwards you won't have to face this dilemma. You will have a feeling of freedom and you will get an opportunity to work, think and talk according to your ideology," the former Vice President quoted PM Modi as saying in his speech.
In his book, Ansari has mentioned about PM Modi walking into his office "unscheduled" and saying: "There are expectations of higher responsibilities for you but you are not helping me".
Ansari said he told PM Modi that his work in the Rajya Sabha and outside was public knowledge. ''Why are bills not being passed in the din?'' - he quoted PM Modi as asking.
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