Hamid Ansari cites Nehru: 'Hindu right-wing communalism real danger'

Former Vice President Hamid Ansari cited Jawaharlal Nehru's warning that 'Hindu right-wing communalism' is the 'real danger to India', as documented in AG Noorani's book 'The RSS: A Menace to India', during a memorial lecture for the late author.

Former Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari on Saturday cited former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s remarks on the “danger to India” while referring to the concerns raised by late constitutional expert and author AG Noorani in his book The RSS: A Menace to India.

Ansari highlighted concerns over what he described as emerging trends that challenge the principle of civic nationalism, while speaking at an event remembering the life and works of jurist and author Abdul Ghafoor Noorani.

Nehru's Warning on 'Hindu Right-Wing Communalism'

Addressing an event, Ansari recalled Noorani’s observations in the introduction of his 2019 book and quoted Nehru’s remarks recorded by former Foreign Secretary Jagat Singh Gundevia during a meeting of officers of the Ministry of External Affairs. He added, “…‘The RSS: A Menace to India’ was the title of the book published in 2019. The opening lines of the introduction, where A.G. Noorani used a couplet, reflected what he described as the prevailing sentiment among Muslims in India today. In the same introduction, he referred to former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s remarks at a Ministry of External Affairs officers’ meeting, documented by Foreign Secretary Gundevia. Nehru had warned that ‘the real danger to India was not communism, but Hindu right-wing communalism’.”

Ansari attended the 3rd AG Noorani Memorial Lecture and made the remarks during a speech at an event titled “Remembering a Polymath: The Life and Times of Abdul Ghafoor Noorani” held at the India Islamic Cultural Centre in New Delhi on September 18.

Referring to Noorani’s book “The RSS: A Menace to India”, published in 2019, Ansari said it was “perhaps his last major book” and described it as “substantive in volume and content”.

“The RSS: A Menace to India was the title of the book, which was published in 2019 and is perhaps his last major book. It is substantive in volume and content but did not attempt to camouflage the ideological objective that, in Noorani's style, he expressed in two Urdu couplets,” Ansari said while addressing the public.

'Emergence of Cultural Nationalism a Concern'

During his speech, Ansari also spoke about Noorani’s writings and his views on nationalism, identity and political developments in India. He further referred to Noorani’s criticism of what he described as a shift from civic nationalism towards cultural nationalism.

“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.

“It seeks to present an electoral majority in the guise of a religious majority and monopolise political power. It wants to distinguish citizens based on their faith, give vent to intolerance, insinuate otherness, and promote disquiet and insecurity,” he added.

Ansari further added, “Some of its recent manifestations are chilling and reflect poorly on our claim to be governed by the rule of law. It’s a question that has to be answered. These trends need to be contested and contested legally and contested politically.”

The former Vice President’s remarks came while recalling Noorani’s contributions as a writer, constitutional expert and political commentator. Noorani, who authored several books on constitutional matters, history and politics, had written extensively on issues related to secularism, minority rights and governance. (ANI)

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