Hamid Ansari's Talk About Affirmative Action for Muslims Sparks Debate: 10 Developments

Speaking at an event on Monday to mark 50 years of the All India Majlis-e-Mushawarat, Mr Ansari said: "Corrective strategies have to be sought on category-differentiation admissible in Indian state practice and hitherto denied to Muslims (scheduled caste status) or inadequately admitted (segments of OBC status). Available data makes it clear that a high percentage of Muslims falls into these two broad categories."

Mr Ansari referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's key development mantra to argue in favour of quota. "The official objective of Sab Ka Saath, Sab Ka Vikas is commendable; a pre-requisite for this is affirmative action (where necessary) to ensure a common starting point and an ability in all to walk at the required pace," he said.

The Vice President also commented that sections of the Muslim community "remain trapped in a vicious circle and in a culturally defensive posture that hinders self-advancement." He urged the Mashawarat grouping to "go beyond the questions of identity and dignity in a defensive mode."

The events of 1947, including the Partition and its aftermath, had cast a "shadow of physical and psychological insecurity on Indian Muslims", said Mr Ansari, adding, "They were made to carry, unfairly, the burden of political events and compromises that resulted in the Partition."

Citing several studies on the state of Muslims, Mr Ansari said they "bring forth sufficient evidence to substantiate the view that inequality traps prevent the marginalised and work in favour of the dominant groups in society".

Mr Ansari said from the official reports and surveys, it was evident that the main problems confronting India's Muslims related to identity and security, education and empowerment, equitable share in state funds and a fair share in decision-making.

He said that "default by the state or its agents in terms of deprivation, exclusion and discrimination (including failure to provide security) has to be corrected by the State at the earliest and appropriate instruments developed for it."

The vice president's comments on Muslim quota have provoked several political reactions besides a debate on social media.

"There should be no distinction between Hindus and Muslims... Both have to work together to take India ahead," said Sambit Patra, a spokesperson of the ruling BJP.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was cautious when he said: "We need to understand first that what he said and in what context he said it."