I Carry Multiple Identities In My Person: Former VP Hamid Ansari

India’s former Vice President Hamid Ansari gets candid about diplomacy, minority issues & more with Nishtha Gautam.

Image of The Quint’s Opinions Editor Nishtha Gautam (L) and India’s former Vice President Hamid Ansari (R) used for representational purposes.

(Photo: Aroop Mishra / The Quint)

Interviewer: Nishtha Gautam
Video Editor: Abhishek Sharma

In this interview to The Quint’s Opinions Editor Nishtha Gautam, India’s former Vice President Hamid Ansari opens up about Aligarh Muslim University, minority rights and concerns, diplomacy — and cricket!

Here are some excerpts (from the longer video interview):

The Quint: Have you been diplomatic about your life (in your autobiography) or have you been candid?

Hamid Ansari: I think I have been very candid. (But) I have not been candid about matters which were addressed to me as part of State secrets.

The Quint: You’ve been quite vocal, but not provocative when it comes to minority issues. Has that trend been followed in the written word as well?

Hamid Ansari: I think so. I have expressed myself quite candidly if you read them — about what the problems of minorities are, what the rights of minorities are, where are the obstacles, where are the failures — both of the government and of the minorities themselves...

The Quint: Is identity politics one of the problems?

Hamid Ansari: Well, identity politics is a fact of life. You can’t run away from it. Now, wisdom lies in accepting it and accommodating it...