By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Breaking his silence on accepting an invitation to attend an RSS event at its Nagpur headquarters on June 7, former President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday said whatever he has to say, he will say in Nagpur only.
“Whatever I have to say, I will say in Nagpur. I have received several letters, requests and phone calls, but I haven’t responded to anyone yet,” Mukherjee was quoted as saying by a Bengali newspaper.
The RSS has invited Mukherjee to be the chief guest at the concluding function of “Tritiya Varsh Varg” or third-year course and address the Swayamsevaks’ on June 7.
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“Many in the Congress have expressed uneasiness over the 82-year-old former President’s decision. While senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh wrote to Mukherjee requesting him not to attend the event, senior leader P Chidambaram had urged him to take the opportunity to tell the RSS what is wrong with their ideology.
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“Now that he has accepted the invitation, there is no point in debating why he accepted it. The more important thing to say is, Sir you have accepted invitation, please go there and tell them what is wrong with their ideology,” the former Union Minister had said.
Welcoming Mukherjee’s decision, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said, “Mukherjee’s acceptance of the invitation is a good start. Political untouchability is not good,” said Union minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari.
