Two happenings in my last week in office tended to cause offence in some quarters: Hamid Ansari

Former Vice President Hamid Ansari says two happenings in his last week in office tended to cause “offence” in some quarters and had been perceived to be teeming with “hidden meanings” — a reference to his convocation handle and a TV interview the place he spoke about apprehensions of insecurity amongst minorities.

Mr Ansari, who demitted office on August 10, 2017 after two phrases as Vice President (2007-2017) and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, makes these feedback in his newest e book “By Many a Happy Accident: Recollections of a Life” in which he talks about rising up to cultivation of the thoughts and representing India as a diplomat to vice presidency.

Mentioning about his last days in office, he says that no touchdown is full until it’s accomplished and the plane towed to the disembarkation level.

“I was to discover, later, that two happenings in my last week in office tended to cause offence in some quarters and were perceived to be teeming with hidden meanings,” he writes.

The first was an handle to the twenty fifth Convocation of the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, the place his theme was Two Obligatory Isms: Why Pluralism and Secularism Are Essential for our Democracy, whereby “I had argued for an urgency of going beyond tolerance, to acceptance, through continuous dialogue for promoting harmony since the need for it is highlighted by enhanced apprehensions of insecurity among segments of our citizen body, particularly Dalits, Muslims and Christians”.

The second was an “unscripted interview to Karan Thapar on Rajya Sabha TV on 9 August 2017, which covered all aspects of the work of the vice president. It also included questions about ‘illiberal nationalism’ and perceptions on Muslims in Indian society and polity”.

“Some questions were focused on my Bengaluru address as also on the earlier speech of August 2015 at the All-India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat. In answer to them, I said that ‘a feeling of unease, a sense of insecurity is creeping in’ among Muslims. I said that affirmative action where needed should be taken and opined that Indian Muslims are sui generis and are not attracted to extremist ideologies,” he writes in the e book, printed by Rupa Publications.

Then he goes on to describe concerning the last day of his time period of office and his last day as Chairman, Rajya Sabha — August 10, 2017.

“The day’s proceedings record the details of the morning session. The interventions from party leaders, front and backbenchers, and nominated personalities were full of compliments and complimentary references. Procedural correctives, the ‘no legislation in the din’ rule and dignified impartiality were specifically mentioned. One senior member on the back benches blessed me with a Sanskrit verse and wished me long life in Upanishadic terms! “The PM participated in this, and whereas fulsome in his compliments was considerably selective in his reference to my work. Hardly any point out was manufactured from my interval as Chairman, Rajya Sabha and whereas my skilled profession as a diplomat was alluded to and lauded, it was sought to be pigeonholed in the ‘environment, thought course of, debates amidst such folks’ (which means Muslim international locations) the place I used to be assigned, supplemented by work in Muslim environment as VC of AMU and as Chairman of NMC,” Mr Ansari says.

“There could have been some wrestle inside (all these years) however from now onwards you will not have to face this dilemma. You could have a sense of freedom and you’re going to get a possibility to work, assume and discuss in accordance to your ideology,” Mr Ansari quotes Mr Modi as saying in his speech.

“The tilt in overlooking my work elsewhere as a consultant of India and significantly in the UN in a crucial interval was pretty evident and so was the reference to ‘your ideology’ and may hardly be attributed to poor workers work; nor can the very fact be evaded {that a} Representative of India, wherever and at any degree together with the best, works on the articulation of Indian views and promotion of Indian nationwide pursuits uninfluenced by private preferences or prejudices of host international locations,” the former diplomat writes.

He also mentions about a farewell function later that day in the Balayogi Auditorium on behalf of the Rajya Sabha members, where a Scroll of Honour was presented to him.

“The PM spoke there too; he referred to my household background and expertise in public life, talked about Brig. Mohammad Usman and his martyrdom in the 1948 battle and stated nothing antagonistic had come to his discover about my lengthy spell in office. He hoped that the insights gained through the tenure can be recorded for public profit,” he recalls.

In the book, Mr Ansari also writes about the position he had taken as Rajya Sabha chairman that no bills will be passed in the din.

This, he said, was appreciated by the principal Opposition leaders and the principle was steadfastly observed throughout his tenure.

‘Why are bills not being passed in the din?’

It, however, brought “discomfiture to each the governments, however the UPA took cognisance of my principled stand and compensated it by ground administration and changes” with the Opposition, he says.

“The NDA, however, felt that its majority in the Lok Sabha gave it the ‘ethical’ proper to prevail over procedural impediments in the Rajya Sabha. An expression of this was conveyed to me authoritatively, and considerably unusually, when at some point PM Modi walked into my Rajya Sabha office unscheduled. After I bought over my shock, I made the customary gestures of hospitality.

“He said that ‘there are expectations of higher responsibilities for you but you are not helping me’. I said that my work in the Rajya Sabha, and outside, is public knowledge. ‘Why are bills not being passed in the din?’ he asked. I replied that the Leader of the House and his colleagues, when in Opposition, had appreciated the ruling that no bills will be passed in the din and that normal procedures of obtaining consent will be observed,” Ansari writes.

“He (Modi) then said that the Rajya Sabha TV was not favourable to the government. My response was that while I had a role in the establishment of the channel, I had no control over the editorial content and that a committee of Rajya Sabha members, in which the BJP was represented, provided broad guidance to the channel, adding that from all accounts, the channel’s programmes and discussions were appreciated by the viewers,” he provides.