The Centre on Monday apologised for BJP general secretary Ram Madhav’s criticism of Vice-President Hamid Ansari’s absence at the International Yoga Day celebrations at Rajpath here, over which the Congress accused it of playing “divisive” politics.

“While President participated d VP gave a miss,” Madhav had tweeted. In another tweet, he said: “I am informed dat d VP was unwell. I withdrew my tweet. My apologies because d institution of VP deserves respect.”

He subsequently deleted both the tweets, but Twitterati were up in arms against the BJP leader, and #IStandWithHamidAnsari was trending on Monday.

The Centre sought to downplay the controversy. Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Naik said that when the Prime Minister is the chief guest, inviting the Vice-President is not considered proper. “That’s why we did not send the invite to him. The President and Vice-President are above the Prime Minister as per order of precedence and we cannot invite them accordingly,” he said, adding that Madhav has withdrawn his statement. “It may have happened by mistake. It should have been avoided, but we accept our mistake,” he said.

Madhav said on Monday: “As far as the tweet is concerned, it was withdrawn and the matter is closed there and ends there.” There is no further discussion on the issue from his side, he added.

“I want the yoga event to be remembered for millions and millions of people who have participated in it. I do not want any further controversy over it or any issue,” he told reporters in Jammu.

The Vice-President’s Office also said the matter is closed for them as Naik’s statement “seems logical”. According to reports, Ansari practises yoga regularly and did so at his residence yesterday as well.

The Congress, however, said the hidden agenda of the BJP to polarise the society on communal lines using the Yoga Day celebrations was revealed by Madhav’s comments.

Though Madhav withdrew his controversial tweets subsequently, the Congress demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah on the issue.

The Congress said the BJP has been targeting Ansari for some time now.

BJP leaders should understand that the Vice-President is above the Prime Minister in protocol, pointed out Opposition leader in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad.

“He should have been invited to the event either as the chief guest or as the chair of the event. Such comments (Madhav’s) show utter disregard of the BJP towards constitutional positions,” he said.

Polarising society Rajya Sabha MP and Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said Madhav’s statements proved true the Congress argument that the event is being used to polarise the society. “Communal polarisation is the only thing Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and Ram Madhav know. It was an obnoxious tweet, a deliberate attempt to polarise the society,” he said.

The BSP also alleged that there are efforts to use the yoga programme to further the communal agenda of the BJP. The BJP is not willing to shed its narrow mindset, said BSP supremo Mayawati.

Meanwhile, in a veiled dig at Modi, BJP patriarch LK Advani said several senior leaders had made “great contributions” to yoga, which is an “age-old concept”. “The hypothesis/concept of yoga is not of today. The Jan Sangh, RSS and senior leaders of BJP made great contribution to it,” Advani said at a yoga event in Palampur in Himachal Pradesh yesterday.

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