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A career diplomat and exemplary politician Mr. Hamid Ansari( HA) served India as Vice President for 10 years.His contribution to Indian diplomacy & politics is clearly unparalleled. His 10-year-long tenure as the VP and the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha was largely controversy-free
But later on he got embroiled in following controversies
1.HA refused to sing "Vande Mataram" on an occasion during Dussera. The only possible explanation is Musl!ms refrain from singing "Vande Mataram" for it means bowing down to the Motherland and Musl!ms don't bow down to
1.HA refused to sing "Vande Mataram" on an occasion during Dussera. The only possible explanation is Musl!ms refrain from singing "Vande Mataram" for it means bowing down to the Motherland and Musl!ms don't bow down to
anyone besides All@h. With all due respect to his faith, HA was an integral part of the Indian National Congress ,a party which happens to be the flag bearer of SECULARISM in India. So how will one explain or interpret HA's action?
2.On Republic Day 2015,HA courted controversy for not saluting the National Flag when it was hoisted. Though protocol, demanded only the President to salute the Tricolor 
, both PM Modi and ex Defence Minister and former CM of Goa Late Manohar Parrikar were seen doing it.
, both PM Modi and ex Defence Minister and former CM of Goa Late Manohar Parrikar were seen doing it.
So what stopped HA? Protocols? Since when did protocols trump patriorism and that too on an occasion like Republic Day of India?
3. HA backed and supported the students of Aligarh Muslim University on Jinnah row .
3. HA backed and supported the students of Aligarh Muslim University on Jinnah row .
4.HA attended a program as a guest organized by PFI in Kerala which was under the radar of terror links.
But the controversy that tops the list is how HA dented, compromised and almost destroyed Indian Intelligence in Iran,thus endangering lives of brave RAW officials at stake.
But the controversy that tops the list is how HA dented, compromised and almost destroyed Indian Intelligence in Iran,thus endangering lives of brave RAW officials at stake.
During HA's tenure as a Foreign Minister Diplomat in Tehran, Iran from 1990-92 many disturbing incidents took place where RAW officials were bedeviled and tortured by Iranian Intelligence SAVAK at the behest of Iranian Government and HA's attempt and involvement in helping them
were abysmal.
Incident #1: RAW official Sandip Kapoor was abducted from Tehran airport by SAVAK men while he was returning from India. The Indian Embassy was not intimated about his whereabouts. Drugged and tortured for 3 days, Kapoor was found dumped on a lonely road near
Incident #1: RAW official Sandip Kapoor was abducted from Tehran airport by SAVAK men while he was returning from India. The Indian Embassy was not intimated about his whereabouts. Drugged and tortured for 3 days, Kapoor was found dumped on a lonely road near
Tehran Airport. HA did not make any effort to display his objection to the Iranian Government. On the contrary, he wrote a detailed letter to GOI stating Kapoor's misdoings, portraying him in poor light and tainting his reputation as an intelligence personnel.
Ex senior RAW officer NK Sood in his interview to The Sunday Guardian said, “Ansari did not take any steps to trace Kapoor, but sent a confidential report to the MEA that Kapoor was missing and that his activities were suspected in Iran as he was said to be involved with
some local woman. He deliberately failed to mention that R&AW had reported about involvement of SAVAK in this case.”Â
Incident #2: RAW officer D.B. Mathur sent confidential reports regularly to New Delhi, with Ansari’s knowledge; Ansari was against some of these reports.
Incident #2: RAW officer D.B. Mathur sent confidential reports regularly to New Delhi, with Ansari’s knowledge; Ansari was against some of these reports.
Suddenly after that in August 1991, Mathur was kidnapped by the Iranian intelligence men and Hamid sent a casual report on Mathur’s disappearance to New Delhi but did not take up the matter seriously with the Iranian government.
Later it is being alleged by the RAW officers that it was Ansari himself who gave Mathur’s name to the Iranian government. NK Sood from Tehran called RK Yadav ,another ex senior RAW officer in New Delhi to inform about this, who met Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who then spoke to then
PM PV Narshima Rao; prompt action was taken and Mathur was released from Evin prison in Tehran. He was subjected to third-degree torture by the Iranians to get inside information about R&AW agents which he refused to divulge.
Incident #3: Mohammad Umar, a security guard posted at the residence of the Indian Ambassador, who was picked by the SAVAK and released after three hours. When Ansari was informed about it, he asked the RAW station chief to ascertain the facts as he believed that he was
“turned” by SAVAK. Despite, the RAW clearly stating that he was innocent, Umar was sent back to India with Ansari recommending that he should be barred from foreign postings.
Incident #4: The most glaring humiliation that the RAW suffered in those times is the beating up of PK Venugopal, the RAW station chief by SAVAK, before being let off. The station chief was picked up while he was on a sightseeing tour with an Iranian woman.
HA never lodged a complaint with the Iranian authorities. Later, Ansari recommended his recall from Iran and he was later dismissed from service.
Now the question that arises is what was these RAW officers investigating that made Iranian intelligence to act with such animosity?
Now the question that arises is what was these RAW officers investigating that made Iranian intelligence to act with such animosity?
It was alleged RAW officers were abducted for investigating the training of militants from Kashmir who were learning about arms and ammunition in various establishments in Iran.
Even Indians working in Iran for various companies were harassed by the Iranian authorities and subjected to various hardship. But Ansari did not care about them also.If this was not enough, after these incidents allegedly, Mr. Ansari sent a fake report to GOI
suggesting to shut down the RAW unit in Iran due to their exposure with the Iranian intelligence. He cited their presence as detrimental to improving relations with Iran.
HA's long and regular meetings with Pakistan Ambassador in Tehran were also not reported to the MEA.
HA's long and regular meetings with Pakistan Ambassador in Tehran were also not reported to the MEA.
As a diplomat HA's priority should have been to safeguard India's interest on foreign lands and provide a safe working environment to it's intelligence personnel.But upon scrutinizing his track record, one will find just the opposite. RAW is instrumental to
Indian leaders in making the right decision at the right time by providing them with accurate informations and insights. And if ambassadors like former VP HA becomes incorporative and indifferent in intelligence hotspots like Iran, then things become very difficult.
