In the Muslim community, views on this Lok Sabha election seem to vary, with some seeing it as crucial for India's pluralism while others feel neglected by political parties.
We asked colleagues, present and past, to reflect on a man who has made such a difference to their lives and careers. Here it is then, a rich collection of memories that offer enchanting glimpses of the enigmatic Ajit Balakrishnan.
The oldest litigant in the Ayodhya title suit case, Mohammad Hashim Ansari, has claimed a threat to his life, saying people playing politics over the issue were plotting to kill him. "When I started to talk about peace with Mahant Gyandas Ansari (president of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad), those doing politics on this issue felt their shops will get closed and are issuing threats and plotting to eliminate me," Ansari claimed
Vice President Hamid Ansari on Monday arrived in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi on a four-day visit to "honour traditional friendship".
A special CBI court in Godhra on Saturday granted the probe agency four-day custody of Jay Jalaram School's principal Purushottam Sharma, teacher Tushar Bhatt, and middlemen Vibhor Anand and Arif Vohra, all of whom are alleged to be involved in irregularities in the May 5 NEET-UG exam in Godhra.
The Bombay high court has issued an arrest warrant against Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed after admitting the Maharashtra government's appeal against the lower court verdict acquitting the two in the 26/11 terror attack case. On May 3, 2010, Ansari and Ahmed were acquitted of all charges as Special Anti-terror Court Judge M L Tahaliyani said the evidence produced by the prosecution could not be relied upon.
The Bahujan Samajwadi Party expelled jailed Member of Legislative Assembly Mukhtar Ansari, who is facing 30 criminal cases including murder and kidnapping, and his brother former Member of Parliament Afzal Ansari from the party for their alleged continued involvement in criminal activities on Friday.
All the four suspended Rajya Sabha members of Samajwadi Party have met Chairman Hamid Ansari and apologised for their unruly behaviour on Monday over the Women's Reservation Bill, a move that could pave the way for revocation of their suspension.
The left-armer, who injured his bowling hand in a CountyChampionship match against Lancashire, was the third spinner in the 16-man team alongside Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid.
The option these two men have as of now is to seek the release order from the Mumbai court and then seek bail before the Uttar Pradesh court
Incumbent Hamid Ansari is the United Progressive Alliance's candidate for the Vice President's post and he is all set to get a second consecutive term.
After having decided to abstain from voting in the Presidential poll, the Communist Party of India on Wednesday extended support to United Progressive Alliance's nominee Hamid Ansari for his re-election as vice president.
Ansari, who is on a two-day visit to the state, is scheduled to attend the fourth convocation of the the Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agriculture and Technology on Sunday. Ansari visited the famous Nishat Garden on the banks of the Dal Lake on Saturday. He also paid obeisance at the Hazrtabal shrine which houses the relic of the Holy Prophet of Islam.
Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad on Tuesday said his party would support Vice President Hamid Ansari as the Presidential candidate.
It is 'when someone uses their emotional problems to hook an audience on the Internet.'
It essentially amounts to 'performing sadness online for sympathy and/or attention,' explains Sandeep Goyal.
Nobody expects such "petty comments" from a person holding such a high post, said BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya.
Vice-President Hamid Ansari, who had served as the chairman of a committee which favoured withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act, on Saturday said the prime minister would take a decision on the matter.
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India is not entirely satisfied with Islamabad's version of the case, says Vicky Nanjappa
From putting up a decent performance in the last Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh winning 10 seats stitching an alliance with arch rival Samajwadi Party, Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party drew a blank in the current general elections, dealing a severe blow to its reputation of representing the voice of Dalits in the state.
Russell Peters and several other Indian Americans have mined quite successfully their ethnic background but 26-year-old Aziz Ansari, who has a small but significant role in the new Judd Apatow (Knocked UP) film Funny People, has taken a different route.
The FBI made the request through proper channels for questioning Fahim Arshad Ansari and Sabbauddin, members of the banned Lashker-e-Taiba, who were brought to Mumbai in December last year as a follow up to the probe into the 26/11 attack, official sources said.
Arrested in the Rampur Central Reserve Police Force camp attack case, Ansari now in the Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad's custody --says he was trained in Pakistan and the deadly Mumbai attack was planned by the Lashkar-e-Tayiba.
Delivering the 66th convocation address at the Panjab University, the vice president said a university should never seek to silence or influence faculty members or students to adopt or renounce any particular position.
Vice-President Hamid Ansari on Saturday underlined the need to end "foreign interferences" in Afghanistan, saying a lasting solution to the turmoil has been based on a sovereign choice of the government in the country.
Saturday's voting will mark the end to the marathon polling process that began on April 19 month and has already covered 486 Lok Sabha seats in 28 states and Union territories.
A total of 45 MLAs voted in favour of the confidence motion in the 81-member assembly.
Just like with millions of Indian Muslims, even the vice president of India has been forced to undergo the covert loyalty test: 'you are presumed to be pro-Pakistan until you demonstrably prove you are a nationalist', says Shehzad Poonawalla.
On the occasion of first anniversary of his government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday met President Pranab Mukherjee and Vice President Hamid Ansari.
A 23-year-old man transporting cattle was lynched allegedly by a group of 'gau rakshaks' (cow vigilantes) in Maharashtra's Nashik district following which six persons have been arrested, police said on Wednesday.
Vice President Hamid Ansari, whose last engagement in his 4-day visit to Vietnam was an Indian community reception hosted by Ambassador Ranjit Rae on Thursday afternoon, described the community as an important agent to expand the economic, commercial and technological ties with the Association of South East Asian Nations, Asean. Around 300 Indians from various backgrounds attended the reception.
Facing the heat after fresh twists in the Suryanelli gang rape case, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P J Kurien has written to Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Chairman of the Upper House Hamid Ansari explaining his position.
People of Cuba were offered a glimpse of India's diverse culture when visiting Vice President Hamid Ansari inaugurated a Festival of India in Havana to bring the two countries closer.
The National Conference on Saturday pledged support for Hamid Ansari who appears to be the Congress choice in the vice presidential poll scheduled next month.
The brothers were booked under the UP Gangsters Act in connection with the murder of the then BJP MLA from Ghazipur, Krishnanad Rai, on November 29, 2005 and the kidnapping-murder of Varanasi-based trader Nand Kishore Rungta in 1997.
Chairman of Rajya Sabha Hamid Ansari has expressed his dismay over the frequent adjournments and behaviour of the representatives that has stalled work in Parliament.
Vice President Hamid Ansari on Thursday visited Angkor Wat days after India allayed Cambodian concerns over reports of building of a replica of the world heritage site in Bihar.
RSS mouthpiece Panchjanya has accused Vice President Hamid of speaking like a "communal Muslim leader".
Yasmeen thanked slain defence lawyer Shahid Azmi and lauded efforts of current defence lawyer R B Mokashi. Mokashi told rediff.com that judge's order clearly indicated that Faheem was framed in this case and that the evidence produced in court was fabricated.
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