Pranab Mukherjee’s daughter, Sharmistha Mukherjee, shared insights into her father’s views on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during the launch of her book, “Pranab My Father: A Daughter Remembers.”
Sharmistha revealed that her father opposed the ordinance torn by Rahul Gandhi in 2013 but believed it should have been discussed in the Parliament. She characterized Gandhi’s actions as arrogant and politically immature.
Mukherjee felt that Rahul Gandhi lacked the killer instinct and maintained a distance from the party. Sharmistha also mentioned her father’s loyalty to Indira Gandhi and his collaborative approach with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his presidency.
Rahul Gandhi’s tearing of the ordinance in 2013 was deemed arrogant and politically immature, according to Sharmistha Mukherjee, the daughter of late President Pranab Mukherjee.
Although Mukherjee opposed the ordinance, he questioned Gandhi’s authority, stating, “who is Rahul Gandhi to do that? He was not even part of the Cabinet.”
The incident followed the Supreme Court’s decision to disqualify MPs and MLAs convicted with a minimum two-year sentence without a three-month appeal period.
Sharmistha also shared her father’s views on his golden period with Indira Gandhi and collaborative efforts with PM Narendra Modi during his presidency. Sharmistha’s book, “Pranab My Father: A Daughter Remembers,” was launched on Mukherjee’s birth anniversary.
On Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to the RSS office, Sharmistha, in a discussion with former bureaucrat Pavan K Varma, reflected on her disagreement with her father’s decision to attend a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh event.
“I engaged in a three to four-day debate with Baba regarding his choice. Finally, he explained that it wasn’t him conferring legitimacy, but rather, it was the country. According to Baba, democracy revolves around dialogue and engaging in conversations with the opposition,” she elaborated.
“In Congress-Left circles, there was a belief that his visit to the RSS headquarters was endorsing the organization. However, he countered this notion by asking, ‘Who am I to grant legitimacy to the RSS?’ His ability to listen to different perspectives was why he was recognized as a consensus builder,” Sharmistha added.