New Delhi: Vice president Hamid Ansari said on Sunday that he was not invited to a Yoga Day event in Delhi’s Rajpath after his absence was questioned by senior BJP leader Ram Madhav.
Earlier in the day, Madhav questioned Ansari’s absence in a tweet — which he later deleted — and then apologised to him saying he later learnt that the vice president was unwell.
The vice president’s office said that was not correct. “Vice president was not unwell. He was never invited for the yoga programme,” it said, adding, “the vice president only attends those programmes in which the minister concerned invites him as per protocol”.
Madhav, a national general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), had in his tweet also accused Rajya Sabha TV, the public service broadcaster run by Parliament’s Upper House, of blacking out live telecast of the Yoga Day event “completely”. As Rajya Sabha chairman, Ansari is the controlling authority for the channel.
Though Madhav deleted that tweet as well, several Twitter users shared screenshots of it.
Madhav’s claim was contradicted by Gurdeep Singh Sappal, CEO of Rajya Sabha TV. “Baseless rumours. RSTV not just did live telecast of Rajpath event. But also had 3 documentaries, 1 special report today on Yoga”, he tweeted.
Subsequently, the former RSS leader tweeted that he had been informed Ansari was unwell and that he was withdrawing his earlier tweet. He also apologised because the “institution of VP deserves respect”. After some time Madhav deleted that one too, though Twitter users again shared screenshots of it.
In January, Ansari was viciously attacked on social media for not saluting the tricolor while the national anthem was being played during the Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi. Some social media users even accused Ansari of breaching protocol by not saluting the flag.
However, a statement from the vice-president’s office clarified there was no breach. “As per the protocol, when the national anthem is played, the principal dignitary and persons in uniform take the salute. Those in civil dress stand in attention,” it said.
Gurdeep Singh Sappal, officer on special duty to the vice president and CEO of Rajya Sabha TV, had then tweeted to clarify that protocol clearly states the vice president is not supposed to salute the flag when the President is present.
