‘Pranab Da Held My Finger And Guided Me..,’ When PM Modi Heaped Praises On Pranab Mukherjee | A Look At Their Bond

“I was new to the world of Delhi. The atmosphere was new to me. On many subjects, the President, like a guardian, a mentor, held my finger and guided me," PM Modi had once said.

(Photo by MONEY SHARMA / AFP)

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had always held former Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, in high regard and had never hesitated from showering praises upon him at any platform. When Pranab Da was named for Bharat Ratna, the highest honour of the country, in January 2019, Prime Minister Modi had praised him for his wisdom and intellect and said that Pranab Da’s service had left a strong imprint on the nation's growth trajectory. He called the ex-President as “outstanding statesman of our times”. “He has served the nation selflessly and tirelessly for decades, leaving a strong imprint on the nation's growth trajectory. His wisdom and intellect have few parallels. Delighted that he has been conferred the Bharat Ratna,” PM tweeted. Another instance where PM Modi was heard lauding Pranab Da open-heartedly was while inaugurating the second phase of the Rashtrapati Bhavan museum. The latter had completed four years in office that year. PM called him a “guardian and mentor” who held his finger and guided him on various subjects when he took over as Prime Minister two years ago. “I was new to the world of Delhi. The atmosphere was new to me. On many subjects, the President, like a guardian, a mentor, held my finger and guided me. Very few people are as privileged as I am,” he said while inaugurating the second phase of the Rashtrapati Bhavan museum. Modi said Mukherjee made Rashtrapati Bhavan a converging point between a common man and the highest seat of power. Hailing Mukherjee for his ideas and reforms, PM had said “important thing is my political background is different, President’s political background is different but we can feel every moment in his company how people with different political upbringing can work shoulder to shoulder to in democracy.” “If there is government of a person of different political party yet the schemes of that government becoming schemes of Rashtrapati Bhavan, this greatness can only be shown by Pranab da,” he said. Another instance when the respectable bond between the two stalwarts was visible, was when Mukherjee posted PM Modi's letter written to him a day before he demitted office. The letter read “…Three years ago, I came to New Delhi as an outsider. The task before me was huge and challenging. In these times, you have always been a father figure and a mentor to me. Your wisdom, guidance and personal warmth have given me greater confidence and strength.” Mukherjee shared the latter on his social media and said it touched his heart. When Pranab Mukherjee lauded PM Modi for his term as PM Former President Mukherjee praised PM Modi on several occasions. In his farewell speech as well, he entioned PM Modi;s contribution and said he benefited from the advice and cooperation of the PM. "I greatly benefited from the advice and co-operation extended by Prime Minister Modi at every step. With passion and energy, he is driving transformational changes in the country. I will carry with me fond memories of our association and his warm and courteous behaviour," he had said then. PM Condoles Demise Of Pranab Mukherjee On Monday, when the nation mourned the death of the stalwart, PM Modi said India is grieved at the demise of Mukherjee, adding that he left an "indelible mark on the development trajectory of our nation". Calling Mukherjee a scholar par excellence, the Prime Minister said he was admired across the political spectrum. "During his political career that spanned decades, Shri Pranab Mukherjee made long-lasting contributions in key economic and strategic ministries. He was an outstanding Parliamentarian, always well-prepared, extremely articulate as well as witty," Modi said.