Congress leaders give vent to party's feeling on Pranab Mukherjee's visit to RSS

Congress leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly, Ramesh Chennithala on Wednesday described former President Pranab Mukherjee's decision to visit RSS headquarters in Nagpur as a "rude shock to the secular minds" and requested him to refrain from attending function.

Mukherjee, one of the senior-most Congress leaders and a fierce critic of communal politics, has agreed to attend the concluding function of 'Tritiya Varsh Varg' or third-year course and address the 'swayamsevaks' where RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat will be the main speaker.

In a letter addressed to Mukherjee, Chennithala called the RSS a 'communal outfit' accusing it of working towards creating "a Hindu Rashtra comprising of only one section of the people which is against the Congress ideology of secularism and democracy."

Describing Mukherjee as among the tallest leaders of the party, Chennithala said the decision has caused unparalleled disgruntlement among the rank and the file of the Congress.

While the Congress has refrained from making a comment on the issue till now, there have been muted but angry voices within the party against Mukherjee's decision.

Earlier former union minister CK Jaffer Sharief had also expressed surprise over the move and said like other secular people he was stunned to hear about Mukherjee's decision to attend the RSS function.

"I personally think that a person of your stature, being secular and in politics for decades, having served in various capacity including the highest position of Rashtrapati, visiting Sangh Parivar at this point in time before Parliament elections is not proper," he said.

The RSS, however, claimed even Mahatma Gandhi and Jaiprakash Narayan attended their functions and former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had invited its workers for the Republic Day parade in 1963 after being impressed with its work.

Why The Row

• The RSS has invited Mukherjee to address newly recruited sangh workers on June 7 in Nagpur. 
• Mukherjee has given his consent to participate in the programme.
• Mukherjee will be the chief guest at the valedictory session.