Row over Pranab accepting RSS invite; Gadkari says 'Sangh is not Pakistan's ISI'

Former President and veteran Congressman Pranab Mukherjee’s decision to accept an invitation extended to him by the RSS has triggered a political row and has taken many Congress leaders by surprise.

The RSS has invited Pranab to address its newly recruited workers at their graduation ceremony in Nagpur on June 7. He has given his consent to participate in the programme.

NEW DELHI: Former President and veteran Congressman Pranab Mukherjee’s decision to accept an invitation extended to him by the RSS has triggered a political row and has taken many Congress leaders by surprise. The RSS has invited Pranab to address its newly recruited workers at their graduation ceremony in Nagpur on June 7. He has given his consent to participate in the programme. Congress leader Sandeep Dixit raises eyebrows  Former MP and Delhi Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said as a Congress leader and minister, 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". "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 anti-national, 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," Dikshit asked. RSS is not Pakistan's ISIS, it's an organisation of nationalists, says Gadkari Meanwhile, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said that there should be no problem if the former President visits RSS event. "If former President Pranab Mukherjee joins, it is good. What is the problem if the former President visits RSS event. There should not be any political untouchability in the country," Gadkari said. "The RSS is not Pakistan's ISI. The RSS is an organisation of nationalists," he said at a press conference in Mumbai. However, the Congress refrained from making a comment on this issue.  No comments to offer till event takes place: Congress "No comments", was Congress spokesperson Tom Vadakkan's response when asked about Mukherjee visiting the RSS headquarters. "The event has not happened. I have come to know about it from media reports and am collecting further details. At present I have no comments to offer till the event takes place," he told reporters at the AICC office. Pranab's acceptance of our invitation shows his greatness: RSS Reacting to the row, the RSS on Tuesday said that it's the "greatness" of Pranab Mukherjee to accept their invitation to address their workers in Nagpur. "This isn't surprising for those who know and understand the Sangh, because RSS has always invited prominent people of the society in its programmes. This time, we invited Dr Pranab Mukherjee and it's his greatness that he has accepted our invitation," read a statement from RSS.