India faces threat not from communism but from Hindu right-wing communalism
Former vice president Hamid Ansari cites A.G. Noorani’s book, reiterates Pandit Nehru’s statement
New Delhi: Former vice president of India Mohammad Hamid Ansari, citing a book by renowned jurist and author A.G. Noorani “The RSS: A Menace to India”, reiterated a statement made by former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Jawaharlal Nehru had stated that the real threat to India was not communism, but Hindu right-wing communalism.
Ansari made these remarks while addressing a memorial event for the late A.G. Noorani at the India Islamic Cultural Centre in New Delhi.
Referring to Noorani’s book—published in 2019 under the title “The RSS: A Menace to India”—Ansari noted that the author had highlighted a statement Nehru made during a meeting with Ministry of External Affairs officials. The former Vice President recalled that Nehru had asserted on that occasion that the true danger to India lay in Hindu right-wing communalism rather than communism.
Citing Noorani’s views, Ansari observed that recent years have witnessed the emergence of trends and methods that challenge established principles of civic nationalism, proposing instead a new concept of cultural nationalism. He stated that this trend seeks to equate electoral majorities with religious majorities, monopolize political power, divide citizens based on religion, foster intolerance, and generate unrest and a sense of insecurity within society.
He said some recent manifestations of these trends are deeply concerning and raise questions about whether the country is truly governed by the rule of law. He added that such trends must be countered through both legal and political means.
The BJP has reacted with strong indignation to this speech by Hamid Ansari.
