Pranab Mukherjee hails RSS founder Hedgewar as ‘great son of India’
Congress leaders, including Pranab Mukherjee’s daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee, expressed displeasure at the former President’s visiting the RSS headquarters in Nagpur.
Former President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday visited the birthplace of Kehsav Baliram Hedgewar, the founder of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and hailed him as “a great son of Mother India”.
Former president Pranab Mukherjee with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat at the birthplace of RSS founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, in Nagpur on Thursday. (PTI Photo)
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
“Today I came here to pay my respect and homage to a great son of Mother India,” Mukherjee wrote in the visitor’s book ahead of his speech at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur.
{{^usCountry}}{{/usCountry}}
The Hedgewar home was also the venue of the first ever meeting of the RSS which he founded in September 1925.
Mukherjee, who was accorded a warm welcome by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat at the RSS headquarters, was shown around the Hedgewar memorial premises which includes a small temple.
Mukherjee, a Congress veteran, is in Nagpur to address the RSS cadre at the organisation’s final leg of three-year training programme called the ‘Tritiya Varsh Varg’.
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
{{^usCountry}}
Congress leaders, including Pranab’s daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee, expressed displeasure at the former President’s visiting the RSS headquarters in Nagpur.
{{/usCountry}}
{{#usCountry}}
Congress leaders, including Pranab’s daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee, expressed displeasure at the former President’s visiting the RSS headquarters in Nagpur.
{{/usCountry}}
His “speech will be forgotten” but the “visuals will remain”, she said on Twitter, expressing hope that the former president would realise how the BJP’s “dirty tricks department” works and warned him of the consequences of attending such a meet.
Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel, who is UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s close confidante, voiced his view on Twitter, in reply to Mukherjee’s daughter who spoke out against the decision of the former President to address an RSS event. “I did not expect this from Pranab da!” Patel said in his one line tweet.
Another Congress leader Anand Sharma said the images of Pranab Mukherjee at RSS HQ have anguished millions of Congress workers and those who believe in pluralism and diversity.
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.
Get Latest News, breaking headlines, and top India News, and today real-time updates from across the nation. Stay informed on politics, government policies, crime, Today Weather, and major developments on Hindustan Times
Get Latest News, breaking headlines, and top India News, and today real-time updates from across the nation. Stay informed on politics, government policies, crime, Today Weather, and major developments on Hindustan Times
