Karnataka Congress netas raise late Pranab Mukherjee's RSS visit at his condolence meet

Former President Pranab Mukherjee’s three-hour visit to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) shivir in Nagpur to deliver a speech continues to haunt the Congress party leaders. And this was witnessed even in the condolence meeting organised by Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) in Bengaluru on Tuesday post the demise of the veteran Congress leader on August 31. 

Pranab Mukherjee’s association with Congress lasted 50 years and he was touted to be a strong believer of Nehruvian philosophy. His colleagues in the party were left shocked when he visited the RSS. Unable to get a clarification from Pranab Mukherjee, many senior leaders say they are still baffled with his visit. 

While hailing the contributions of Pranab Mukherjee in the condolence meeting at KPCC office in Bengaluru, Rajya Sabha Member Mallikarjun Kharge and former Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaih remembered the Congress veteran’s visit to RSS shivir.

'I didn't understand why he visited RSS headquarters'

Addressing the gathering at the KPCC office, former Union Minister, Mallikarjuna Kharge, said, “Pranab Mukherjee was such a learned man, I didn't understand why he visited RSS in his last days. This is my personal opinion. He was a staunch believer in Nehruvian philosophy and a follower of Indira Gandhi. He had differences with Rajeev Gandhi and stayed out of the party for 4 years. After that, he rejoined the party and that is history. But what continues to baffle me, and will forever remain so is why the former President visited the RSS headquarters to deliver a speech. I never got the opportunity for a one-on-one meeting due to his illness.”

READ | Former President Pranab Mukherjee passes away at 84 in Delhi's Army Hospital (R&R)

READ | 'Irreparable loss to Sangh': RSS remembers 'soft-spoken & endearing' Pranab Mukherjee

Echoing the same thoughts of former Union Minister, former CM of the state Siddaramaiah said, “Even I have the same question in my mind as Kharge said. He stayed for so long with the Congress. RSS, in fact, killed Mahatma Gandhi. After stepping down as the President, he visited the RSS shivir to deliver a speech. Why? That is still an unanswered question. RSS is a communal organisation. After a 50-year association with the Congress, his visit there to deliver a speech has indeed hurt us. But he never gave any proper clarification regarding his visit.”

READ | Former President Pranab Mukherjee cremated in Delhi, leaders pay final tributes

READ | Amul captures three roles of Pranab Mukherjee in creative farewell post; doodle inside