Ansari Sparks BJP Clash
Former VP Ansari Warns Against Cultural Nationalism, Sparking Sharp BJP Backlash
Anonymous
Key Points
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Ansari spoke at the third AG Noorani Memorial Lecture, held on September 18 at the India Islamic Cultural Centre in New Delhi, under the theme “Remembering a Polymath: The Life and Times of Abdul Ghafoor Noorani.”
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Ansari described Noorani’s 2019 book as “perhaps his last major book” and said its ideological objective was expressed, in Noorani’s style, through two Urdu couplets.
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Beyond criticizing cultural nationalism, Ansari said its recent manifestations were “chilling and damaging” to India’s commitment to the rule of law and called for opposing them through legal and political means.
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BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged that Ansari’s remarks were made at Rahul Gandhi’s direction, linking them to Rahul Gandhi’s reported 2009 comparison of Hindu groups with Lashkar-e-Taiba; Bhandari called the Congress “pro-terror” and “anti-Hindu.”
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In a separate line of criticism, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla accused Ansari of “eulogising” Mahmud of Ghazni, citing Ansari’s reported description of historical invaders as “Indian looteras” and referring to Ghazni’s destruction and desecration of the Somnath temple.
Former Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari triggered a major political firestorm on September 18 when he quoted Jawaharlal Nehru's warning that Hindu right-wing communalism poses a greater danger to India than communism. Speaking at a memorial lecture in New Delhi, Ansari cited constitutional expert A.G. Noorani's 2019 book to criticize what he called a shift from civic to cultural nationalism—one that could divide citizens by faith. The remarks drew sharp accusations from the BJP, which alleged Ansari was working under Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's direction and called his comments anti-Hindu.
Nehru's Warning and the Nationalism Debate
Ansari spoke at the third A.G. Noorani Memorial Lecture at the India Islamic Cultural Centre. He cited what he described as a 1948 observation by Prime Minister Nehru warning that communalism threatened India more than communism. Ansari called Noorani's 2019 book "perhaps his last major book" and said recent shifts toward cultural nationalism were "chilling and damaging" to India's commitment to the rule of law.
BJP Accuses Ansari of Following Gandhi's Political Direction
BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged that Ansari acted on Rahul Gandhi's instructions. Bhandari linked the remarks to Gandhi's reported 2009 comparison of Hindu groups with terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba. The BJP called Congress a "pro-terror, anti-Hindu" party and labeled it the "Modern India Muslim League," according to Daily Excelsior.
BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla revived older criticism of separate comments Ansari made in January 2026. Poonawalla accused Ansari of "eulogizing" historical invader Mahmud of Ghazni, who he noted destroyed and desecrated the Somnath temple. Poonawalla called the comments reflective of a "sick mindset," Times of India reported.
Religious Leaders and Hindu Organizations Distance Themselves
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) condemned Ansari's remarks as an attack on Hindu majority sentiments. Dr. Surendra Jain, VHP Joint General Secretary, rejected Ansari's framing as one-sided. Muslim clerics also distanced themselves. Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi publicly criticized Ansari's language, urging against statements that heighten societal division, Daily Hunt reported.
Scholars Defend Noorani's Constitutional Legacy
Academics at the India Islamic Cultural Centre framed Ansari's address as a defense of secular constitutionalism and Noorani's legal contributions to Indian minority rights. They emphasized that Noorani's 2019 book examined Hindutva ideology and its tension with civic nationalism—not an attack on Hindu people. This scholarly framing stands in contrast to the BJP's political interpretation of the remarks.
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