Cong silent on Pranab’s RSS invite

◗ Former President Dr Pranab Mukherjee has been invited as chief guest at RSS valedictory session

Eyebrows were raised in the Opposition over former President and veteran Congressman Pranab Mukherjee’s move to address an RSS ceremony at Nagpur in June, but the Congress steered clear, with spokesman Tom Vadakkan saying: “Ask Pranab Mukherjee. The only comment we have is no comment.” He added: “All we can say is there is a lot of difference between our ideology and theirs.”

The RSS has invited Mr Mukherjee as its chief guest at the valedictory session of its third year course in Nagpur.

While eyebrows were raised in the Opposition over the former President and veteran Congress leader, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee’s decision to address an RSS ceremony at Nagpur in June, the Congress steered clear of the issue. “Ask Pranab Mukherjee. The only comment we have is no comment,” said Congress spokesperson Tom Vadakkan.” All we can say is there is a lot of difference between ours and their ideology.” Mr Pranab Mukherjee has been invited as the chief guest at the valedictory session of the Tritiya Varsh Varg or the Third Year Course organised by the RSS in Nagpur. The RSS leadership invites eminent people every year for the annual event held at its headquarters at Reshim Bagh in Nagpur.

RSS meanwhile said that Pranab is not part of any political party but a former President of India. Former MP and Delhi Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said as a Congress leader and minister, Mr Mukherjee has spoken about the RSS and the BJP many times on various issues and dubbed it as “bad” and “worst” outfit, which is “communal” and “anti- national”. Mr. Dikshit further added, “Pranab Mukherjee used to say that the RSS is a bad and the worst organisation in the country. Its leaders have no morals and RSS is corrupt and spreads lies.

He ( Mukherjee) has also said that the RSS is antinational, unpatriotic and communal. If the RSS has invited a person with such views, does this mean that the RSS admits that his ( Pranab’s) views about the organisation were correct.”

Mr. Mukherjee’s decision to go to Nagpur has made several Congressman surprised.

At a time when the congress President Mr. Rahul Gandhi is going all guns blazing against the RSS Mr. Mukherjee will be speaking at a RSS event. Mr. Gandhi is also facing a legal suit for having allegedly accused the RSS of being responsible for Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination.