Pranab Mukherjee: A Staunch Congressman Who Fearlessly Met Shiv Sena's Bal Thackeray, Shared Stage With RSS & Won India's Trust

With roots engraved in Congress, Pranab always proved to be loyal to the grand old party. He managed to win the hearts of all Indian when fearlessly met RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and late Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray.

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The former President of India and the stalwart of Indian politics, Pranab Mukherjee after being in deep coma for days, breathed his last on Monday August 31 at Delhi's R&R Amy Hospital. The veteran politician known as "man of all seasons" underwent brain surgery after he reportedly slipped in the bathroom and developed a blood clot in the brain. The former president was also found to be positive for novel Coronavirus infection on the day he underwent the operation. Loyal Congressman Pranab Mukherjee Shared Stage with RSS' Mohan Bhagwat “Pranab da” as people across, had been a senior leader in the Indian National Congress. He had become one of the most trusted lieutenants of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi after the latter helped Mukherjee secure Rajya Sabha seat in the Parliament in 1969. This was probably one of the most dramatic turning point in his life which followed a meteoric rise, making him earn several ministerial portfolios in the Government of India. With roots engraved in Congress, Pranab always proved to be loyal to the grand old party. After serving as minister in Indira'a Cabinet in 1973, Mukherjee occupied several key posts during Manmohan Singh's government. He held a number of key cabinet portfolios including Defence Minister (2004–06), External Affairs (2006–09) and Finance (2009–12). Praban continued to be the star of Congress' eye and secured UPA’s nomination for Presidency in 2012 by defeating PA Sangma by securing 70% of electoral college vote. Congress veteran did not re-run for Presidency owing to his conditions but made to the headlines after he accepted to appear as chief guest at a RSS (Rashtriya Swayam Sevak) event. Despite being always a Congressman, Pranab Mukherjee in June 2018 accepted the invitation to attend the Third Year Sangha Shiksha Varga (SSV) event held at Sangh's Nagpur headquarters. Though his acceptance of the RSS' invitation led to backlash from several people including his own daughter and the grand old Congress, Mukherjee in his maiden visit to the RSS headquarters, delivered a powerful speech on 'Nation, Nationalism and Patriotism'. "In India, we derive our strength from tolerance, and respect our pluralism; We celebrate our diversity. Any attempt at defining our nationhood in terms of dogma and identities or religion, region, hatred and intolerance will only lead to dilution of our identity. I am here amongst you to share my understanding with you of the concepts of nation, nationalism and patriotism in the context of India," Pranab Mukherjee had said in his address. Pranab Mukherjee's Meeting With Shiv Sena' Bal Thackeray Irked Sonia Gandhi His presence at RSS event was not the first controversy. He had reportedly upset Congress President Sonia after he met late Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray, despite being advised by her against doing so before his election as President of India in 2012. However, Mukherjee, in the third volume of his autobiography, "Coalition Years: 1996-2012", justified his meeting with Thackeray and showed how it was aimed at keeping coalition partners like the NCP in good humour with Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mamata Banerjee having already abandoned the UPA. His autobiography revealed his visit to Mumbai on July 13, 2012, which as per Mukherjee was significant as Thackeray, whose party was part of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), had, without being asked to, extended support to Mukherjee's candidature, which was completely unexpected. "I had asked both Sonia Gandhi and Sharad Pawar -- who was instrumental, I think, in influencing Thackeray towards me -- whether I should meet Thackeray during my visit to Mumbai. I had received several messages from him for an interaction at his residence. Sonia Gandhi was not enthusiastic about my meeting Bal Thackeray and (wanted to) avoid it, if possible. Sonia Gandhi's reservations about Thackeray were based on her own perception of his policies," says Mukherjee. He described his meeting with Thackeray as "very cordial" during which the Shiv Sena supremo jokingly said that it was but natural for the Maratha tiger to support the Royal Bengal tiger.