Vice President Hamid Ansari faces heat on social media for remarks

New Delhi: The Vice President of India Mohammed Hamid Ansari is facing the heat on social media for his speech demanding an affirmative action for the Muslims in India. Addressing a function in New Delhi, Ansari had indicated that Muslims in India need an affirmative action to compete with the others.

His statement has led to a some sort of furore. Criticising his statement, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh (RSS) have said that the Vice President is the second highest Constitutional authority in India and should not make such partisan statements.

Trying to control the damage, his office has clarified that he was talking about everybody and just about the Muslims.

Attacking Ansari, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Dr Subramanian Swamy in a tweet demanded the Vice President to condemn the atrocities committed against the Hindus by the Muslim rulers before the British came to India.

The firebrand public intellectual Dr Madhu Kishwar also attacked Ansari in a tweet.

The RSS ideologue MG Vaidya described Ansari’s statement as bizarre and tweeted saying that the affirmative action should be for all 125 crore plus Indians.

Another tweet describes Ansari’s speech as unbecoming of the high post he holds.

Many people have posted scathing comments on Facebook questioning the rationale behind Hamid Ansari’s speech. Hamid Ansari has faced many controversies even in the past. Some say he could have chosen his words carefully this time.