New Delhi: Former Vice President Hamid Ansari’s recent remarks in an interview have ignited a fierce political storm, drawing sharp rebuke from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and escalating tensions with the Congress.
Ansari stirred controversy by asserting that foreign invaders and plunderers depicted in history textbooks were essentially “Indian looters”. He used Mahmud of Ghazni as an example to argue that historical narratives have misrepresented such figures.
BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi lambasted the statement as a “sick mentality”, labelling it an affront to India’s history and national sentiments. He warned that such views tarnish the country’s image and spread confusion. Trivedi drew parallels, noting that Mughal rulers governed in the name of Baghdad’s Caliph, akin to British Viceroys representing their monarchs.
Fellow BJP leaders amplified the attack on Congress. Shahzad Poonawalla shared a video clip of Ansari’s alleged comments on X, accusing the Opposition and its allies of glorifying temple-destroying invaders. “Ghazni ravaged the Somnath temple, yet he’s being hailed,” Poonawalla posted, highlighting what he called a deliberate distortion of facts.
Pradeep Bhandari went further, branding Congress as a “modern Muslim League” for allegedly twisting history and overlooking invaders’ atrocities. The row has deepened the rift between the two parties, with mutual allegations escalating rapidly and igniting a broader discourse on India’s past.
As the controversy simmers, it underscores the polarised lens through which historical events are viewed in contemporary politics, leaving citizens to ponder the fine line between interpretation and revisionism.