The name of former Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari resurfaced in public discourse following the killing of notorious sharpshooter Shahrukh Pathan by the Meerut Special Task Force (STF) just recently. Pathan was reportedly associated with criminal networks linked to both gangster Sanjeev Maheshwari Jeeva and mafia don Mukhtar Ansari, who happens to be Hamid Ansari’s second cousin. This familial link has reignited scrutiny over the former vice president’s legacy and long-standing controversies surrounding his tenure and post-retirement statements.
From IFS To Vice President
Hamid Ansari began his career in the Indian Foreign Service in 1961, serving in key diplomatic roles across countries including Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Australia. He held ambassadorial positions in the UAE, Afghanistan, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, and was also India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. He served two terms as Vice President of India, from 2007 to 2017.
Despite his distinguished résumé, Ansari has repeatedly drawn criticism for alleged compromises to national security and for his post-retirement affiliations and public comments perceived as controversial or partisan.
#1: Allegations From Former Intelligence Officers
In 2019, former RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) officials accused Hamid Ansari of endangering intelligence operations while serving as India’s ambassador to Iran (1990–1992). They claim Ansari failed to protect Indian intelligence assets and may have even exposed undercover operatives to Iranian agencies.
🚨I think it is time to make a film Titled
‘The Ansari Files’🚨Hamid Ansari helped Pakistani spies !
🚨 He endangered lives of RAW unit members in Iran !
🚨 He supported anti-India & anti-Hindu organisations like PFI !
🚨 Hamid Ansari participated in Indian American… pic.twitter.com/9syiFbvzeM
— Mona Patel 🇮🇳🐅🌳 (@MonaPatelT) July 14, 2025
One officer alleged that Ansari downplayed the abduction of an Indian diplomat, Sandeep Kapoor, by Iranian intelligence agency SAVAK, failing to report SAVAK’s involvement in his official communication to the Ministry of External Affairs. Another incident involved RAW operative D. B. Mathur, who was reportedly kidnapped after Ansari allegedly leaked intelligence details to the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
I was in Tehran, Iran n Hameed Ansari was ambassador in Tehran. Ansari had played a crucial role in exposing RAW set-up in Tehran endangering lives of RAW unit members. But this very man was made vice President for two consecutive terms.
— NK Sood (@rawnksood) June 28, 2019
Ratan. Sehgal was Addl. Secretary in IB n he was later found to be working for CIA and held passing on documents to a CIA lady agent in Delhi. He should have been arrested, jailed n dismissed. But was asked to resign n allowed to go. Now he is settled in US.
— NK Sood (@rawnksood) July 5, 2019
The RAW officers later submitted a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding an investigation into Ansari’s role during his Tehran tenure. They claimed Ansari also collaborated with intelligence officials like Ratan Sehgal to dismantle RAW units in Gulf countries prior to the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts.
In his book Mission R&AW, former intelligence officer R.K. Yadav reveals how Hamid Ansari, during his tenure as India’s ambassador to Iran, was uncooperative and even obstructive to Indian intelligence efforts. When a R&AW operative was abducted by Iranian agencies, Ansari reportedly showed no urgency, and it took pressure from Atal Bihari Vajpayee to push Prime Minister Narasimha Rao into securing the agent’s release. Yadav also notes that Ansari advised another official, Muhammad Umar, to stay silent after Iranian intelligence tried to recruit him. Umar refused, was abducted and tortured, yet Ansari allegedly told him not to escalate the matter. This period, critical in the formation of global jihadist networks, saw significant intelligence setbacks in Tehran—setbacks Yadav believes gave the Iran-ISI axis leverage and indirectly fueled jihad in Kashmir.
#2: Allegations Of Hosting Pakistani Spy
In 2022, Pakistani journalist Nusrat Mirza claimed he visited India on several occasions between 2005 and 2011 to collect intelligence for Pakistan’s ISI, allegedly attending a seminar on terrorism at the invitation of Hamid Ansari. Ansari categorically denied the claims, asserting that invitations to foreign delegates during his tenure were issued based on recommendations from the government, particularly through the Ministry of External Affairs.
While Ansari insisted he neither invited nor interacted with Mirza, the controversy cast a shadow over his tenure, prompting strong reactions from BJP leaders and sections of the media.
#3: Association With IAMC And Criticism Of India
On 26 January 2022, Hamid Ansari participated in a virtual panel organized by the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a group known for its critical stance on India’s human rights record. His comments at the event, where he accused the Indian government of promoting “cultural nationalism” and fostering religious division, drew sharp criticism.
The Ministry of External Affairs condemned the IAMC for its affiliations, noting its connections with radical groups and its lobbying efforts to label India as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) under USCIRF recommendations. IAMC has been accused of supporting organizations with links to extremist networks, including the Pakistan-based LeT and Jamaat-e-Islami. Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi accused the IAMC of collaborating with ISI and SIMI and engaging in anti-India propaganda.
Ansari’s participation in the event was seen by many as aligning with an organization actively lobbying against India’s interests on international platforms.
#4: Wants Sharia Courts
Following his retirement, Ansari made several statements that sparked nationwide backlash. He spoke in favor of establishing Sharia courts across districts in India and claimed to feel “insecure” as a citizen a remark that was widely criticized as divisive.
#5: Simping For Jinah
He also drew attention for attending events hosted by the now-banned Popular Front of India (PFI), a group accused by Indian agencies of fostering radical Islamist ideology and involvement in “love jihad” cases in Kerala. Additionally, Ansari expressed support for students demanding the restoration of Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s portrait at Aligarh Muslim University.
#6 Criticizing India For Iran
In 2005, after India voted against Iran’s nuclear program at the International Atomic Energy Agency, Hamid Ansari openly criticized the decision. He remarked that the Indian government had acted based on its own “judgment”—a phrase he used to imply bias—and argued that the position taken lacked a factual basis.
#7 IAMC’s Lobbying Efforts And Anti-India Advocacy
Hamid Ansari came under heavy scrutiny for his participation in a virtual panel organized by the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) on January 26, 2022. IAMC is a U.S.-based lobbying group known for its anti-India stance, persistent campaigns to label India as a violator of minority rights, and alleged ties to radical Islamist networks including SIMI, Jamaat-e-Islami, and Pakistan-backed propaganda fronts. During the event, Ansari accused the Indian government of promoting cultural nationalism and religious division, comments that drew sharp criticism for being made on India’s Republic Day and on a foreign platform. His association with IAMC was seen by many as legitimizing a group that actively lobbies against India’s interests on global platforms, leading to widespread backlash and raising serious questions about his judgment and national allegiance in his post-retirement public engagements.
A Legacy Under Question
While Hamid Ansari’s career includes significant diplomatic accomplishments, his legacy has come under intense criticism due to alleged lapses in safeguarding national interests and his post-retirement political stances. The renewed focus on his record—triggered by criminal ties in his extended family and resurfacing of old allegations—has placed him at the center of a broader debate on national loyalty, secularism, and the politicization of identity in India.
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