Kolkata: Lashing out at former President Pranab Mukherjee, West Bengal’s Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Thursday said there was no need for him to go to the RSS’s Nagpur headquarters to give a lecture on “pluralism” and “co-existence of all” in India.
“More than what he said, what is important is who he is telling all this. Where is he saying this? What was the need?” said Chowdhury, considered close to Mukherjee.
It was Chowdhury who in 2004 persuaded Mukherjee to contest the Baharampur Lok Sabha seat and ensured his victory from the constituency then considered his stronghold. Mukherjee was re-elected in 2009. Till 2004, Mukherjee had never won an election to either the Lok Sabha or the assembly.
Chowdhury said Mukherjee in his speech has only repeated what he has been saying all these years.
“Whatever he has said is nothing new. In his last address as President also, had spoken about pluralism. He had also then spoken about co-existence of all,” said Chowdhury, a current Lok Sabha member and former Union Minister.
“Why did he have to go to Nagpur to say all these old matters? Why did he have to rake in so much controversy? I don’t think there was any need.”
Chowdhury wondered whether those who listened to Mukherjee at the RSS headquarters understood or “even tried to understand” what all he said.
“My question is the stature and prestige that he has acquired as an ex-President, has he measured up to them by going to Nagpur? I want to know all these things from him,” he added.
IANS