Congress leader Danish Ali on Wednesday hit out at the Narendra Modi government for earmarking a site for the memorial of former President Pranab Mukherjee.
“The Modi government has indulged in dirty politics over death and has rejected the demand of the entire nation for space for Manmohan Singh at Rajghat memorial site and has given land at the same place for Pranab Mukherjee's memorial. This is low level politics and a grave insult to the Prime Minister who brought economic revolution in the country,” Ali, a former Lok Sabha MP, posted on X.
Recalling Mukherjee's attendance at a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) event in Nagpur in 2018, Ali added,"This decision of the government is also a gift to Pranab Mukherjee for his love for the Sangh. Pranab Mukherjee had bowed his head at the Nagpur headquarters of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and conferred the title of Dhartiputra on Sangh founder Hedgewar. Mukherjee had also played an important role in getting Savarkar's picture installed in the Parliament House."
Addressing the RSS event in 2018, Mukherjee had said,“Secularism and inclusion is a matter of faith for us. India’s nationhood is not one language, one religion, one nation."
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Pranab Mukherjee's memorial at ‘Rashtriya Smriti’ complex
On Wednesday, the Centre said that it has decided to set up a memorial for former president Pranab Mukherjee at the 'Rashtriya Smriti' area complex.
"The Competent Authority has approved the earmarking of a designated site within the 'Rashtriya Smriti' complex (a part of the Rajghat precinct) for erecting a Samadhi of Late Shri Pranab Mukherjee, former President of India," the government said in a letter to the former President's daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee informing her of the decision.
Pranab Mukherjee, a Congress veteran, held important ministerial portfolios in the governments headed by Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, PV Narasimha Rao and Dr Manmohan Singh.
He served as President of India from 2012 to 2017. He died on August 31, 2020.