By M Reyaz, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: As the country celebrating the Republic Day on Monday, Hindutva trolls on social media were out abusing the Vice President Hamid Ansari; many went so far as questioning his patriotism purportedly because he was not saluting the national flag when the national anthem was playing at the main function on Rajpath here.
Ansari’s office later clarified that the President and all persons in uniform only are supposed to salute the national flag.
Social media was abuzz with a photograph, where President Pranab Mukharjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikkar were seen saluting the tri-colour, while US President Barack Obama and Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari were seen standing in attention position. Hindutva troll did not stop by just pointing out Ansari not saluting the flag but also encircled his face, seen with a velvet cap with his hand straight down.
Soon the hash tag #ShameOnHamidAnsari started trending on social media, especially Twitter as Hindutva trolls started spewing venom against him. One self-proclaimed ‘Proud Indian’ and ‘bigot’ #NaMO and BJP supporter Pradeep Mamgain wrote: “even dogs paid respect to the Indian flag, but Haimd Ansari fail to do so (sic).”
Check how even dogs paid respect to the Indian flag, but Haimd Ansari fail to do so… #ShameOnHamidAnsari pic.twitter.com/LaKd4bhF3F
— Pradeep Mamgain (@pc_navy) January 26, 2015
Another self-proclaimed Subramaniyan Swamy bhakt, some Dr Neelu Goswamy out-rightly demanded that if minorities cannot respect the country they should pack their bags and leave.
My country doesn't need minorities, minorities need my country. If u don't respect my country pack ur bags & leave #ShameOnHamidAnsari
— Dr Neelu Goswami (@NeelakshiGswm) January 26, 2015
As it became clear that the VP was not wrong, Goswamy showed her prejudice again as she wrote: “Lot of illegitimate bastards were born overnight on twitter to prove Hamid Ansari isn’t a traitor.” In a subsequent tweet on January 27, she asked if the national flag was hoisted at any of the madrasas.
Muslims preaching flag protocol on twitter, how many times national flag hoisted & national anthems sung at ur madarsa ?
— Dr Neelu Goswami (@NeelakshiGswm) January 27, 2015
Priti Gandhi, actively campaigning for the BJP and Modi on social media, described the ‘not saluting’ as a sad event.
Sad, very sad! "@vinaygoel15: Hamid Ansari & his wife didnt even bother to salute while national anthem was playing. pic.twitter.com/Z5v5TEZiHc"
— Priti Gandhi (@MrsGandhi) January 26, 2015
The social media campaign turned so vitriolic that it finally prompted the Vice President’s Office to issue clarification that rather than insulting, the VP was in fact following the protocol. According to Section VI of the Flag Code of India, all persons present should face the flag and stand at attention except those present in uniform, who should render the appropriate salute. It is only the President, who is required to salute while other dignitaries stand in attention.
It is interesting to point here that a career diplomat, Ansari has also served as the Chief Protocol Officer of the Government of India from 1980 to 1985.
Interestingly, archive photographs from earlier Republic Day parades make it very clear that from former Prime Ministers Atal Bihari Bajpayee, Dr Manmohan Singh to former VP Bhairo Singh Shekawat, all stood in attention while the respective incumbent Presidents took the salutes.
It now seems that perhaps in their enthusiasm or ignorance, the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister went out of way to salute. By evening, however, some support – and sympathy too – started pouring for Ansari. Senior journalist Shekhar Gupta tweeted at night: “Many apologies are due to Vice-President Ansari” and later also wrote that there is a sense of remorse and that the bigoted ones should say sorry to the Vice President.
Illiterate, the abuse, calumny hurled at Vice-President Ansari since morn. Only Pres, uniformed soldiers have to salute. Others stand attn.
— Shekhar Gupta (@ShekharGupta) January 26, 2015
Delhi University History Professor S Irfan Habib termed the unwarranted controversy as “unnecessary and shameful.”
Dragging VP Hamid Ansari into this unnecessary and shameful controversy is simply pathetic. He is a man with immense protocol experience.
— S l Habib (@irfhabib) January 26, 2015
Senior journalist Sankarshan Thakur termed it “illiterate, bigoted discourse”.
Some very shameful, illiterate, bigoted discourse here on why Hon'ble VP HamidAnsari did not salute at R-Day podium.
— Sankarshan Thakur (@SankarshanT) January 26, 2015
In a blog, journalist Aditya Menon wrote on DailyO,“But who cares about protocol when you are performing the great duty of defending the nation? If Ansari didn’t salute the flag, it has to be because he is following some subversive anti-national injunction in the Sharia. Of course, home minister Rajnath Singh and external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj also didn’t salute the flag, but then being non-Muslims, their patriotism is beyond question.”
The whole incident has once again exposed the mentality and prejudices of the Hindutva brigade that would want proof of patriotism from Muslims no matter what one has done for the country and whatever one has achieved.