Reaction to former Vice President

Reaction to former Vice President

Ansari’s remarks 

The former Vice President Hamid Ansari is no ordiry Muslim form a poor background. He is an educated former Indian Foreign Service Officer who has effectively represented India in abroad, especially in Islamic countries. The reaction of the RSS and BJP to the views expressed by Ansari is horrifying. RSS-BJP leaders have stooped low in launching their attack on him making subtle reference to his religion and asking him to quit India and where he can feel secure. The question is, did he say anything wrong or should he have spoken? Every citizen would agree with Mr Ansari when he pointed towards enhanced apprehensions of insecurity amongst people belonging to Dalit, Muslim and Christian communities.

Swami Vivekanda took pride in India’s extraordiry history of inclusion and acceptance. When the sense of overruns and unity breaks down, people who are numerically less in terms of their faith or are at a disadvantaged position because of caste or other identities feel threatened, excluded and persecuted. It is in such a situation that it becomes the duty and responsibility of society and the state to make them feel secure. Ansari was only reminding those in power to be inclusive in their approach.

Vivekanda in his “From Colombo to Almora” lectures conveyed the worries and apprehensions of Dalits and sought measures for their access to education, livelihood opportunities and other entitlements. When Dr B R Ambedkar expressed the anxieties of Dalits and demanded legal safeguards, he was opposed by those who wanted a Hindu Rashtra. Those articulating the anxieties of minorities and Dalits in constitutiol framework are articulating a grammar of unity which is a crying necessity for an Indian facing a counterculture of discord and disunity.

The constitution and constitutiol morality are not being kept in mind and people are being targeted violently for their stand in support of the exploited people. The former Vice President was only reminding people to uphold the values enshrined in the constitution – a position the Left has articulated from time to time.

Satish Kumar Sarma,

Kalyanpur, Biswath Chariali.