By Dr. C.D. Sreenivasa Murthy

Title:      Pranab My Father: A  Daughter Remembers

Author:  Sharmistha Mukherjee

Year:       2024

Pages:   368 pages

Price:     Rs. 795

Publisher: Rupa Publications India Pvt. Ltd.

A boy aged 11 years had come to Calcutta to attend the wedding of his eldest brother. The day was 16th August 1946, an infamous day in India’s history. Probably the worst communal riots in Bharat took place on that day, incited by the call for direct action given by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the Founder of Pakistan. The family could not return to their village for several days till it was safe to travel.

The boy was restless. Someone handed him a notebook and a pencil to keep him occupied and asked him to write down his daily observations. This practice of chronicling his daily life and impressions every night after his hectic work schedule continued for over 70 years.

This young boy, Pranab Mukherjee, went on to become a six-term MP and a Minister for 23 years holding various high-profile portfolios of External Affairs, Commerce, Finance and Defence. The habit of diary writing continued throughout his busy life schedule.

When he retired after a full term of five years as the President of India in 2017, his diaries were 53 big volumes. These were handed to his daughter Sharmistha for safekeeping, with strict instructions to open and read them only after he had breathed his last.

Sharmistha has published the book ‘Pranab My Father: A Daughter Remembers,’  based on the late President’s diaries. The book is also partly biography and personal memoirs. It is also a chronicle of the political story of his times. The desire to publish the diaries posthumously is understandable as they have many frank and unflattering remarks about his contemporary political figures.

Mamata Banerjee was a long-time family friend of Pranab. She would frequently visit their house and often dine with them. Yet she vehemently opposed when Pranab was nominated for President of India. When Sharmistha asks about the strange behaviour of Mamata, her father’s philosophical comment is that she is always unpredictable. Eventually, the West Bengal CM changed her stance and supported Pranab Mukherjee for the Presidency.

Pranab was a lifelong staunch Congress party man. He was a protege of Indira Gandhi and he always looked up to her as his mentor. He was a stickler for rules, procedures and constitutional propriety. Surprisingly, his diary entries seem to be silent on the Emergency imposed by his leader. Probably, for whatever reasons, he had made his peace with the excesses of Emergency and his inner voice.

Despite his fanatic loyalty to Indira and the party, he had to face the ignominy of being suspended from the party by her son, the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. This suspension he attributes to machinations of the coterie around Rajiv. After about two years, he was reinstated in the party due to the efforts of his friends.

He mentions sycophancy culture and the absence of dissent in the party and general political discourse. Sharmistha sought her father’s advice about leaving the Congress party after her defeat in the Delhi elections, his answer was cryptic. He asked her to remember the sentence from the Bhagavad Gita, ‘Swadharme Nidhanam Shreyah’. (It is better to perish in your dharma), cryptically advising her not to change her swadharma which is the Congress party.

Like any ambitious politician, Pranab had his ups and downs in his political career. In one of his diary notings, he writes a political activist should always be alert, always active and develop objectivity, most importantly the ability to absorb disappointments is necessary.

His comments about Sonia Gandhi and her family are quite frank and acerbic. He tells his daughter that Sonia will never allow him to become the Prime Minister because there is a trust deficit between them. Again he ascribes this to the clique surrounding her. He is critical of Rahul Gandhi for publicly tearing the ordinance promulgated by the Manmohan Singh Government.

His sarcastic comment is that Rahul has the arrogance of the Nehru-Gandhi family, without their political acumen. When Pranab was honoured with the Bharat Ratna, the first family members were conspicuously absent at the ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Pranab Mukherjee spent most of his public life in the Parliament, both in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha. He had a deep understanding of the Parliamentary procedures and the Indian Constitution. He had many friends across the aisle in all the Opposition parties. He administered the oath of office to Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi in 2014.

Both had risen from diverse backgrounds. Modi was a committed RSS person having risen from a Pracharak to the high office of Pradhan Mantri. Pranab Mukherjee was a die-hard Congressman having risen from a Cabinet Minister to the high office of Rashtrapati.

Surprisingly the PM and the President had great bonhomie in their relationship. It is said, the PM always touched his (Pranab) feet whenever he came to meet the President. Modi reciprocated this friendship by conferring the nation’s highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna on him. When President Pranab accepted the invitation to be the chief guest at RSS annual meet, Congress party urged him not to attend.

His daughter Sharmistha too dissuaded him and told her father that by attending the event he was giving legitimacy to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). His reply was, “Who am I to give legitimacy when people of this country have given it by electing a humble Pracharak of RSS to the highest political office of the nation.” The book, brimming with filial adoration, has many explosive comments, well-written with candour and appears a teaser for publication of the full transcripts of the diaries. The volume reminds us of the political landscape of those times and is eminently readable and unputdownable.

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Seven-day mourning; Last rites held

New Delhi:  Nation paid rich tributes to former President and Bharat Ratna Pranab Mukherjee (84), who passed away at an Army Hospital here on Monday.

Condolences are pouring in from various quarters remembering Mukherjee for his contributions to progress of the country. Known as a simple and ever-smiling person, Mukherjee had carved a niche in the hearts of millions of people for throwing open the doors of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The Government of India has announced seven-day mourning while the Government of West Bengal has declared a holiday today as a mark of respect for the departed soul. 

The Union Cabinet today condoled the demise of Pranab Mukherjee and also observed silence for two minutes as a mark of respect. 

Last rites underway

Meanwhile, preparations are underway for the last rites of Mukherjee to be held at the crematorium on Lodhi Street here this afternoon.

As we went to Press, the mortal remains of 84-year-old Mukherjee was being taken from his residence, to the crematorium.

President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, the Chiefs of  three services, Congress leaders, Rahul Gandhi, Adhir Ranjan Choudhary, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal were among those important personalities who paid homage to the former President. 

After the VVIPs paid their homage, the general public was allowed to have the last glimpse of the ‘People’s President.’

Owing to the COVID-19 related protocols, the mortal remains of Mukherjee will proceed in a hearse van instead of the normal gun carriage reserved for a former Head of State, according to a release from Home Ministry.

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New Delhi: Former President and Bharat Ratna, Pranab Mukherjee passed away last evening after prolonged illness. He was 84. Mukherjee is survived by two sons and a daughter. His wife had died in 2015.

The Central Government has announced a seven-day State mourning from Aug. 31 to Sept. 6 and the National Flag will fly at half-mast on buildings across India. He served as the 13th President of India from July 25, 2012 to 25 July 2017.

He was elected to Rajya Sabha five times and twice to Lok Sabha. In 2019, Pranab Mukherjee was awarded India’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna. 

Mukherjee was admitted to the Army’s Research and Referral Hospital in Delhi Cantonment on Aug. 10 and was operated the same day for removal of a clot in his brain. He later developed a lung infection and he breathed his last yesterday.

Fondly called ‘Pranab Da’ by his peers and friends, Mukherjee was born on Dec. 11, 1935 in Birbhum district, West Bengal. He completed Masters in Political Science and History and LLB degree from University of Calcutta.

It all started when Indira Gandhi spotted him during a by-election in Midnapore where he was V.K. Krishna Menon’s election agent. She brought Mukherjee into the Congress and initiated his Parliamentary journey through the Rajya Sabha in 1969. He was a member of the Congress Working Committee for 23 years. 

Mukherjee became India’s youngest Finance Minister in 1982 at the age of 47. From 2004, he went on to head three crucial Ministries — External Affairs, Defence and Finance — and became the first occupant of the Rashtrapati Bhavan to have this distinction.

A tough taskmaster, avid reader and history aficionado, Mukherjee ensured that he leaves his mark on the Presidency. Mukherjee was known to have generously shared his experience with others, cutting across party lines.

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Mysore/Mysuru: City Congress unit paid tributes to former President of India Pranab Mukherjee, who passed away yesterday, by observing silence for a minute and offering floral tributes to the portrait of the late President at Congress Bhavan, near City Railway Station here  this morning.

Speaking on the occasion, former MP R. Dhruvanarayan said that the late President was one of the greatest politicians of the country and added that his death is a tremendous loss to the nation.

He further said that late Pranab Mukherjee never had a black spot in his 50 year political career and added that the former President has brought in many people-friendly schemes when he was the Finance Minister.

City Congress President R. Murthy, District President Dr. B.J. Vijaykumar, KPCC Women’s Wing State President Dr. Pushpa Amaranth, former Mayor Ayub Khan and others were present.

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New Delhi: Former President Pranab Mukherjee will be awarded Bharat Ratna on August 8. 

Mukherjee, India’s 13th President was selected for Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, in January 2019. 

The announcement had been made in a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan, which also said the award would be given posthumously to social activist Nanaji Deshmukh and noted Assamese singer Bhupen Hazarika.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already congratulated Mukherjee for his decades of service to the country. “Pranab Da is an outstanding statesman of our times. He has served the nation selflessly and tirelessly for decades, leaving a strong imprint on the nation’s growth trajectory. His wisdom and intellect have few parallels. Delighted that he has been conferred the Bharat Ratna,” he tweeted.

Pranab Mukherjee, who is popularly known as ‘Pranab Da’, had served as the President of the country from 2012 to 2017. The 83-year-old Pranab Da is one of the most respected Congressmen. 

The other Presidents, who had been conferred the Bharat Ratna include Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, Rajendra Prasad, Zakir Hussain and V.V. Giri. After a long gap, it is Pranab Mukherjee who has been added to this list.

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By Dr. A.V. Narasimha Murthy

Kulapati Kanhaiyyalal Maneklal Munshiji (1887-1971) deserves reverence for two reasons. The first is the establishment of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (BVB) worldwide. The second is the starting of a Journal. 

One day Munshiji was sitting in his office and Marvadi businessman walked into Munshiji’s office in Mumbai. Munshiji asked him the purpose of his visit. He explained that he has some money which he wanted to donate. Munshiji asked this Marvadi the amount he wants to donate. The Marvadi gentleman said that it was Rs. 6 lakh. Munshiji did not believe this because in those days Rs. 6 lakh was a huge amount. Munshiji wanted to test him further and asked him to come after a month.

Exactly after a month, that Marvadi came and met Munshiji who asked how much money he has brought now. The Marvadi replied that it was Rs. 8 lakh and during this one month he has earned two more lakhs. Understanding his seriousness, Munshiji accepted Rs. 8 lakh and asked the Marvadi what was the purpose of this gift. The Marvadi replied that an institution for Bharatiya education and culture may be opened. This is how Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan took birth.

Munshiji thought that unless it gets a permanent print media, many noble thoughts will vanish. Then he thought of Bhavan’s Journal, which is a fortnightly and contains articles written by eminent personalities who have made a name for themselves. The first page is a permanent feature with the title ‘Sage Speak’ which includes one page summary written by Babu Rajendra Prasad, Swami Brahmananda and others. 

Under the title Kulapativani, K.M. Munshiji enriches knowledge on environment and other topics. Then there is a page reserved for the President of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Surendralal G. Mehta. Usually there are articles written by Mahatma Gandhi himself or written by others on the principles followed by Gandhiji. 

Normally there will be about 20 to 22 articles. Excerpts of ‘Discovery of India’ by Jawaharlal Nehru are normally included in every Journal. Contemporary disasters also find a place here.

Till recently it was believed that music was for enjoyment of a small number of persons. But this concept has changed. It was in Mysore where Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji started the concept of music as a therapy to cure many types of illnesses. Such articles are found in Bhavan’s Journal.

The Bhavan’s Journal is useful practically to know all aspects of Indian life, literature and culture. Because of its richness, about 70-80,000 life members all over the country enjoy reading this Journal which has completed about 65 years.

In keeping with present trend of digitisation, all the volumes of Bhavan’s Journal were digitised by Arjun and Prof. Yogananda of Sriranga Digitals based in Srirangapatna. After the digitisation, BVB Bengaluru Kendra Chairman N. Ramanuja invited former President Pranab Mukherjee to release the digitised version of Bhavan’s Journal in Bengaluru recently. 

The gathering consisted of many distinguished persons including Nazareth, a true Gandhian. K.G. Raghavan, H.N. Suresh, Director BVB, Bengaluru, Justice M. N. Venkatachalaiah, Sankaran Kutty, Editor, Bhavan’s Journal, K.N. Ramaswamy, Director, BVB, Chennai Kendra, were also present.  Pranab Mukherjee paid rich homage to Kulapati K. M. Munshiji and remembered that he too had written some articles in this Journal. 

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Nagpur: Giving his much awaited speech at the RSS headquarters, former President Pranab Mukherjee said on Thursday that political untouchability is not a solution to ideological differences. He added that informed and reasoned public engagement is of national importance. “A dialogue is necessary not only to balance the competing interests but also to reconcile them.”

Speaking at Reshimbaug Grounds at the headquarters of the RSS here on the occasion of Tritiya Varsha (graduation ceremony of RSS functionaries) yesterday, Mukherjee made it clear that the “soul of India resides in pluralism and tolerance”. He then went on to underline the secular and composite culture of India.

“I am here to share my concept of nation, nationalism and patriotism in the context of India. Our national identity has emerged after a long process of confluence and assimilation, the multiple cultures and faiths make us special and tolerant,” he said.

Sangh Chief Mohan Bhagwat underlined RSS’s commitment to “unifying” society and that the imprint of Indian culture can be seen on all Indians. His comments seemed intended to take away some of the sting on the former President’s remarks on the need to preserve and        celebrate diversity. At the end of the function, Mukherjee stood up with others as the RSS flag was lowered but did not join the “salute”.

Mukherjee’s decision had drawn criticism from Congress and the Left while his daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee, who is a Delhi Congress spokesperson, had also tweeted against the visit. Those in the know of his visit, however, insisted that Mukherjee was no longer bound to seeing issues through a political or partisan prism as his active association with party politics ended after he became President in 2012.

The former President sought to rise beyond the political controversy that surrounded his visit to the RSS headquarters and gave a historical perspective of the different kingdoms and conquests of India over the years. “Throughout this period of 2,500 years of changing political fortunes and conquests, the 5,000-year-old civilisational continuity remained unbroken.

In fact, each conqueror and each foreign element has been absorbed to form a new synthesis and unity.”

He did not refer to the reservations some Congress and Left members expressed at his decision to visit the RSS headquarters and share the dais with Mohan Bhagwat.

‘Sangh is Sangh, Pranab is Pranab’

RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat has dismissed all criticism about former President Pranab Mukherjee attending an event at the RSS headquarters and said his presence is a not a matter of     debate at all.

“There has been a tradition that we invite well-known people from various walks of life for our Tritiya Varsh event. We are only following this tradition. There is no meaning in the discussion that has happened this time.

Everyone in this country knows the personality of Pranab Mukherjee. We are grateful that we are able to learn something from him. How Pranabji was called and how he is coming is not a matter of debate. Sangh is Sangh, Pranab is Pranab. There have been many debates about Pranab Mukherjee attending the event but we do not consider anyone different from ourselves,” the RSS Chief said.

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Much is made about former Congress Union Minister and the former President of India Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to RSS Head Quarters (HQ) in Nagpur to address a function yesterday. Even as the news of the visit was announced, the Congress began to question the visit as ill-advised and absolutely wrong. How can a Secular leader and  now a common citizen compromise the ‘sacred’ principles of Secularism and thus indulge in camaraderie with a Communal Hindu organisation like Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)?

The Communists too were not far behind in criticising Pranab Mukherjee for his decision. The opinion of these parties and the Leftist thinkers is that ‘if you are not with us, you are against us.’ Was Pranab Mukherjee against the principles of the Congress on the question of Secularism? Was the RSS Communal, a word used as an antinomy to Secularism? These two politically charged words — Secular and Communal — are the creation of the Indian Leftists [on the verge of exiting from the Indian Democratic electoral polity] and the Congress, which too is under the threat of giving-in to the BJP, an offshoot of RSS. In other words, what Nehru-Gandhi dynasty is to Congress, RSS is to BJP.

I have been wondering at the steady decline and fall of Congress Party in today’s electoral  politics because this was the party that ruled India for decades after Independence in 1947 mesmerising the educated and uneducated voters with the sentiments of ‘Unity in Diversity’ at home and ‘non-alignment’ in foreign policy.

Sadly, it was the Congress Party that exploited the diversity in religion, caste, language, economic status, even culture and history of regions to win elections. Its appeasement policy of Muslim and Christian minority religions became famous as “Congress Vote Bank” till it was breached by Mulayam Singh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party (SP) in Uttar Pradesh. Muslims too realised the Congress was ‘playing politics’ with Muslim rights under the Constitution. And smart-fanatical Muslim bodies too began asking, “Sir some more please” from a Congress too willing to oblige. So you have a Shah Bano  case, for example.

In Mumbai, it was Shiv Sena under Bal Thackeray that exposed Congress and its secrets of winning elections by dividing Hindus on caste-lines and by building minority vote banks. One example is how Shiv Sena exposed Congress’ political hypocrisy. The Muslims in South Bombay, on a particular busy road were allowed to offer Friday prayers on the road as the local Mosque was not able to accommodate all the faithfuls. During this prayer time at noon, the road used to be closed to facilitate Muslim brethren. Shiv Sena objected but the Congress government said no.

Before Congress Government would know what would Shiv Sena do, the busy Prabhadevi road where the rich and famous lived and where the famous Siddivinayaka Temple is located, was flooded with thousands of women and men holding Mahaarati trays in hand offering puja on a Saturday and every Saturday. The road was blocked for hours. It was Shiv Sena’s answer to Congress government’s ‘no’ to its objection.

It was only then the Muslim organisations came up with the statement that it had sought permission to construct multi-storey buildings on the existing Mosque but the Congress government refused. However, after the arati protest, permission was granted. Well, this could have been done when the request was made. But, no. Congress, probably, wanted the Muslims to know how helpful Congress was — going to the extent of closing the public road to help the Muslims to pray! So much for working towards ‘Unity in Diversity.’

“The Mahaarti started as a spontaneous and natural reaction of the Hindus who were inconvenienced and irritated because of the action of Muslims to read Namaz on streets.”

– Srikrishna Commission’s Action Taken Report (ATR) on Communal Offences (1988) against Shiv Sena

As for Secularism, it is simply the principle of treating all religions, and India has many, equally as per the law of the land. Any discrimination between the majority and minority is not being Secular. When the State (government) functions only as a temporal authority, to the exclusion of ecclesiastical, religious, matters, it is Secular. But in India the governments always had a hand in religious matters doling out favours and benefits to suit the electoral politics.

So much for Secularism in India. However, Communalism is endemic in our country. Congress may see Communalism only in BJP and RSS. Well, “Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to notice the beam in your own eye?” said Jesus. Congress is equally communal. It gives tickets to contest election on the basis of religion and caste. It also allots portfolios to the Ministers on the basis of caste and religion — Brahmin, Vokkaliga, Kuruba, Lingayat, Christian, Muslim, SC and ST — as is now seen in Karnataka and NOT on the Minister’s merit. Hence, is not Congress too communal? This is the question we must ask the Congress which is crying foul about Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to the RSS HQ yesterday.

Indira Gandhi and the Congress created a spectre (BJP) that fed and reared itself in the political spaces and communal suspicion that the Congress nourished and cultivated… BJP is prepared to do by day what the Congress would do only by night.

– Arundhati Roy in “The Algebra of Infinite Justice”.

Pranab Mukherjee in his speech had emphasised on the need to practice tolerance by all irrespective of differences in  religion, political party, economic situation, caste, creed and language. He said, “Indian Nationalism” is based on “Constitutional Patriotism.” What he means, I guess, is that patriotism in India is not the monopoly of any religion, read Hindu, but is derived from our Constitution. If this is the thinking of Pranab Mukherjee, what is objectionable in it? Congress and Leftists seem to be creating a phantom of Communalism to pursue their political agenda.

Can anyone undo what Pranab Mukherjee calls “Our inherited and shared  diversity.” I think not. Not even RSS can.

And for sure, it has no such intentions either, from what I heard from RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s speech yesterday. So Congress may stop crying wolf about Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to RSS HQ.

And Congress may well remember, that this organisation is Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) which means National Volunteers Service Association and not Hindu Swayam Sevak Sangh to be even considered communal by its nomenclature unlike the Muslim league.

Jai Hind

e-mail: kbg@starofmysore.com

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Daughter Sharmishta Mukherjee disapproves visit

Nagpur:  Former President Pranab Mukherjee is in Nagpur where he will be the chief guest at a function of the RSS or Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh this evening. The event has generated a lot of interest and controversy over the past few days, ever since Mukherjee agreed to address RSS trainees at the Sangh’s headquarters in Nagpur.

He is scheduled to arrive at the venue at 5.30 pm where he will be welcomed by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. Mukherjee will then have tea with Bhagwat and RSS No.2 Bhaiyyaji Joshi, after which senior functionaries of the Sangh will be introduced to him.

Eighty-two-year-old Mukherjee will visit the Memorial of RSS founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, offer floral tributes and reach the function venue at 6.15 pm. He is scheduled to make a 20-minute speech soon after. Finally, Bhagwat will address the gathering.

A lot of curiosity exists over what Pranab Mukherjee, who has been critical of the RSS ideology during his five-decade-long association with the Congress before he became President of India in 2012, will say. There has been disquiet in a section of the Congress after he accepted the invite, with many leaders asking him to reconsider his decision.

Yesterday, the former President’s daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee hit out at Mukherjee, saying the Sangh Parivar is already calling his visit an endorsement of the saffron ideology.

“Even RSS wouldn’t believe that you are going to endorse its views in your speech. But the speech will be forgotten, visuals will remain and those will be circulated with fake statements,” she tweeted.

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Former President Pranab Mukherjee will address the members of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at its Headquarters in Nagpur on June 7. This has shaken the Congress, silenced the Gandhis, confused the BJP and given hope to the Third Front…but more importantly, it shows that even at 82, Pranab Mukherjee still knows how to stay relevant in politics.

Now there are reports that Pranab Mukherjee, fondly called Pranabda in political circles, is playing a significant role in bringing non-Congress and non-BJP leaders together to form an alternative front ahead of 2019. This report is based on the frequent visits of political bigwigs to the former President’s  bungalow in Delhi.

Also the photo of a luncheon hosted by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, attended by Pranab Mukherjee, H.D. Deve Gowda, Sitaram Yechury and the disgruntled BJP veteran L.K. Advani a few months ago may have added some credence to this reported political development.

Is Pranab Mukherjee giving it one last shot at the position that has evaded him not once, not twice, not thrice but four times? — 1984, 1991, 2004 and 2009.

In fact, the Gandhis snatched every opportunity away from Pranab Mukherjee because they were insecure. It is said that after Indira Gandhi’s assassination in 1984, Rajiv Gandhi had asked his mother’s trusted aide Pranab, who would become the new Prime Minister now. Pranab Mukherjee had reportedly replied, “The senior-most Minister” which he himself was at that time. Taken aback by his cunning reply and ambition, the Gandhi family became wary of him.

So much so that soon after a novice Rajiv Gandhi himself became the PM,  he did not include the senior-most Congressman Pranab Mukherjee in his Cabinet. A hurt and angry Pranab Mukherjee left Congress and started his own party, the Rashtriya Samajwadi Congress which did not see much success.

In 1991,  after Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, Pranab Mukherjee came back to Congress and he had a chance to be PM but he was not an MP so Arjun Singh and Sharad Pawar became the contenders. But since the number of South Indian MPs were more P.V. Narasimha Rao was called from retirement and made PM. Pranab Mukherjee missed his chance once again.

Then in 2004, when the Congress-led UPA came to power, for his bad luck Sonia Gandhi became the Party boss. How could she give power to a man who never wanted her husband to be PM. So, as expected, Pranab Mukherjee lost a third time.

In 2009, he had a chance again when Dr. Manmohan Singh was out of action due to health issues but even then Pranab Mukherjee was not made acting PM.

Even if the Gandhis did not make Pranab Mukherjee the PM he was just as powerful. So much so that he was called the de-facto Prime Minister of India. He was the main troubleshooter for the government, from the Lokpal Bill to the issue of Telangana. From countering the Opposition charges to cajoling them, he was the quintessential middleman of Indian governance.

In fact, Pranab Mukherjee sensed he will never be PM and finally played his cards to at least become the President of India. And in that effort, he tried to please the Gandhi family and even edited a lopsided two volume book — ‘Congress and the Making of the Indian Nation.’ It had a lot of nice things to say about Rajiv Gandhi, but very little about Sanjay Gandhi and even Indira Gandhi. Guess, it worked as Sonia soon made him the 13th President of India.

In the end, Pranab Mukherjee’s name may be abbreviated as P.M., but he never became the PM.

While Sonia Gandhi may have kept P.M. away from being PM, she should realise had she made Pranab Mukherjee the PM in 2004 or even in 2009 instead of Dr. Manmohan Singh, the Congress today would have been in a much better position and the BJP would still be struggling.

May be Sonia Gandhi, knowing that Congress is a family business like many other political parties, should have followed the rule most successful family businesses follow, which is “Even if you are good, hire people who are better than you, and let them run it while you only monitor.”

If Sonia had let P.M. run the Congress, while she monitored the Party, today her son Rahul Gandhi’s ‘self-proclamation’ of being the next PM candidate would not sound like a joke.

For now, it would be poetic justice if the old man could snatch the PM-ship away from the son of the man and woman who had snatched it away from him. Ah! Karma is a wonderful thing.

e-mail: vikram@starofmysore.com

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