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Hamid Ansari's 'Ghazni Indian looter' remark sparks row, BJP says Congress ecosystem 'eulogises' Hindu haters
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Friday shared an interview clip of Ansari in which he could be heard mentioning the Mahmoud of Ghazni and the Lodi rule.
Former vice-president Hamid Ansari's remarks on the Mahmoud of Ghazni and the Lodi dynasty have sparked a political controversy, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accusing the “Congress ecosystem” of eulogising those who stand against Hindus.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Friday shared an interview clip of Ansari in which he could be heard saying: “You publish in your books about Lodi and Ghazni…all of them were Indian looters, they didn't come from outside.”
Lashing out at the Congress over Ansari's remarks, Poonwalla accused the party “ecosystem” of backing those who committed atrocities against Hindus. He argued that Ansari's remarks were not an isolated incident but a new example of how the Congress “eulogises Hindu haters".
“Now CONGRESS ECOSYSTEM AND Hamid Ansari eulogise Ghazni who destroyed & desecrated Somnath Mandir. Congress ecosystem eulogises Mahmud of Ghazni…they oppose Somnath Swabhiman Parv.. they whitewash crimes of Aurangzeb and those who did atrocities on Hindus !," Poonawalla said in a post on X, referring to the Mahmud of Ghazni’s invasion of the Somnath temple in 1026.
He also named student leaders Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam and said that the Congress stood behind people with “separatist” intentions for the country.
Poonwalla also accused Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi of “bunking” the Beating Retreat ceremony that took place on Thursday. “It shows that for him, his 'parivar tantra' is more important than 'samvidhan tantra' and insulting the Army is natural DNA of Rahul Gandhi,” Poonawalla told news agency ANI.
Hamid Ansari was a member of the Congress before being nominated Vice President in 2007. His remarks in the interview were made in reference to the Mahmoud of Ghazni, who led multiple invasions into India and was the ruler of the Ghaznavid Dynasty.
He also referred to the Lodi dynasty, the last rulers of the Delhi Sultanate before Ibrahim Lodi was defeated by Babur in the First Battle of Panipat (1526).
