New Delhi: Former vice-president Hamid Ansari hit back at the allegations that he had invited a Pakistani journalist, who claimed to have spied for Pakistan’s spy agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and said a “litany of falsehood” has been unleashed against him by sections of media and a BJP spokesperson. He also refuted the allegation by the BJP, citing comments of a former RAW functionary, that he had compromised national interest as India’s ambassador to Iran.
Ex-VP & Congress leader Hamid Ansari issues a statement regarding Pak journalist Nusrat Mirza.
“…falsehood unleashed on me in sec of media&by official spox of BJP…known fact that invitation to foreign dignitaries by VP of India is on advice of Govt generally through MEA…” pic.twitter.com/BMX1Ft50IF
– ANI (@ANI) July 13, 2022
Ansari’s statement comes after the BJP asked the Congress and the former VP to clarify its policy on countering terrorism and cited claims of the Pakistani journalist that he had visited India five times during the UPA rule and passed on sensitive information to ISI. According to the report, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia cited Pakistani journalist Nusrat Mirza’s purported comments that he visited India on Ansari’s invitations and also met him.
“If Congress leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi besides the then vice president remain silent on the questions raised by the ruling party, it will amount to their admission to these ‘sins’”, PTI quoted Bhatia as saying.
Notably, clips of Mirza’s interviews, doing the rounds on the social media, suggest that he attended a seminar on terrorism in India in which Ansari spoke.
Bhatia, at a press conference, said, “People of India are giving you so much respect and you are betraying the country. Isn’t this treason? Sonia Gandhi, Rahul and Hamid Ansari should come out and reply to this.”
The BJP spokesperson further said that Mirza claimed in an interview in Pakistan that Ansari invited him five times to India during 2005-11 and shared extremely sensitive and classified information.
“He took the information from Ansari and it was used against India,” Bhatia alleged.
“A person who is sharing information with the ISI is invited to come to India. Was this the Congress’ policy to end terrorism? This is the party’s poisonous mindset. Our government has resolved to root out terrorism. On the other hand, this is the Congress mindset,” he added.
Meanwhile, other BJP leaders have also attacked Ansari.
Taking to his Twitter handle, BJP vice-president Baijayant Jay Panda wrote, “It is astonishing to read about the claims of a Pakistani journalist involving our former Vice President Hamid Ansari. What is even more shocking is that he got a 2nd term during the UPA govt! Were the top posts compromised during that period? It raises some serious doubts.”
Asked if the BJP is seeking legal action in the matter, Bhatia said that the party’s job is to raise issues, and it is for the investigation agencies to investigate.
He also said that Ansari should clarify if he was aware that Mirza was to share the information with ISI and whether he was acting at the prodding of the Congress leadership.