In 2006, he courted a controversy by criticising comments made by Pope Benedict XVI as anti-Islamic.   He was criticized for the abrupt adjournment of the House on 30 December 2011, when the Rajya Sabha was witnessing discussion on the Jan Lokpal Bill in the wake of the Anna Hazare movement. Around midnight, Ansari came on his seat and the stroke of midnight, he abruptly adjourned the House even though the debate was underway.   He also has to face criticisms for not attending the First International Yoga Day on 21 June in 2015. Pranab Mukherjee (the then President of India) held the function at Rashtrapati Bhavan and all ministers took part in it. However, Ansari was the only senior constitutional office-bearer not to take part in Yoga Day. For the past 3 years, Ansari has been skipping it every time.   He also courted controversy for not saluting the national flag when it was hoisted, and the national anthem was being sung at Rajpath on the Republic Day of 2015. Alongside Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, then visiting US President Barack Obama (who was also the Chief Guest at the parade), US First Lady Michelle Obama and Manohar Parrikar (the then Defence Minister of India), Ansari was seen standing at attention.   Does Hamid Ansari drink alcohol?: Not Known  After retiring from foreign service, Ansari served in various academic positions.  After completing his education, he started preparing for the Civil Services and in 1961, he cleared the UPSC Examination and was allotted the Indian Foreign Service (IFS).  In 2012, he again defeated the BJP nominee Jaswant Singh by 252 votes for the another term as the Vice President of India.  Does Hamid Ansari smoke?: Not Known  Ansari is known for his role ensuring relief and compensation for the 2002 Gujarat riots Victims.  With his several years of diplomatic postings in the Middle East countries, he developed a reputation as a scholar of that region.  He was born in a Muslim family in Calcutta, British India. Though his family belongs to Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh.  In 2006, he had to quit the membership of Congress Party after the Congress party selected him as its candidate for the vice-presidential elections.  He is the grand nephew of former Congress President Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari who was also a leader of the Indian Independence Movement.  In 2007, he won the vice-presidential elections by defeating his nearest rival, Najma Heptullah of BJP, with a margin of 233 votes. 

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