CONGRESS REACTIONS TO PRANAB MUKHERJEE’S VISIT TO THE RSS FUNCTION

West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury: “My question is does he (Mukherjee) think his previous comments against RSS were wrong...We still remember how Pranab Mukherjee as a senior leader of the Congress had criticised RSS as a communal and a divisive organisation.”

Assam Congress chief Ripun Bora: “It is very surprising that you (Mukherjee) are going to attend the meeting of such an organisation which is totally opposed to the Congress' ideology of secularism, which is not only the basic foundation of the Constitution but also the social fabric of our nation.”

Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh: “I'm sure that Pranab Mukherjee won't say anything in Nagpur which isn't in favour of the nation. In fact, whatever he says will be in favour of country. I've no issues with him attending that event. He's free to go wherever he wants to.”

Congress leader Ahmad Patel: “I did not expect this from Pranab da!”

Former Law Minister Salman Khurshid: “I think he has a conscious sense of having held a high office where he was accessible for everyone. He didn’t pick and choose friends and foes. He was accessible to everyone, which the President of India should be, despite your personal views,” Khurshid said. “I hope the present President will follow the same line, and it appears that he is following the same line. In that case, when someone approaches you, and you are at the level of President and exPresident…you do not close the doors for anyone.”

Senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily: “Of all the people, Pranab Mukherjee (is) going there…if he is ideologically dedicated to the Congress party, I don’t think he can afford to go. Because the ideology of the Congress is totally different from the ideology of RSS…”