Former Vice President Hamid Ansari on Thursday sparked a row criticising the government over India\u2019s recent record on protecting human rights, civil liberties and religious freedom on the occasion of Republic Day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking at an event organised by the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) on Republic Day, Ansari has warned that the country is steering away from its constitutional values. He had also expressed concern about the rising Hindu nationalism in India at the virtual event organised by the IAMC on the occasion of Republic Day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In his speech, Ansari claimed that in recent years, there had been an effort to replace civic nationalism with a new and imaginary practice of cultural nationalism and present an electoral majority in the guise of a religious majority and monopolise political power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Besides Ansari, 4 US lawmakers- senator Ed Markey and Congressmen Andy Levin, Jamie Raskin and Jim McGovern- also expressed their concern over the current human rights situation in India <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Responding to Ansari’s remarks on cultural nationalism and human rights situation in India at US Muslim body event, Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi claimed that the IAMC, the organiser of the event, had a link with SIMI (Students’ Islamic Movement of India] and ISI [Inter-Services Intelligence] of the Pakistan Army.<\/p>\n\n\n\n