Double Standards! Sharmistha Mukherjee Raises Serious Questions About What Congress Did On Pranab Mukherjee's Death

Sharmistha Mukherjee, daughter of former President Pranab Mukherjee, has expressed her displeasure with the Congress party over its failure to convene a Congress Working Committee (CWC) condolence meeting following her father's demise in 2020.

Sharmistha Mukherjee, daughter of former President Pranab Mukherjee, posted on X, “When Baba passed away, Congress didn’t even bother to call a CWC condolence meeting. A senior leader told me it’s not done for Presidents. That’s utter rubbish, as I later learned from Baba’s… pic.twitter.com/bqsUTIpUVx

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Taking to platform X (formerly Twitter), Sharmistha posted, “When Baba passed away, Congress didn’t even bother to call a CWC condolence meeting. A senior leader told me it’s not done for Presidents. That’s utter rubbish, as I later learned from Baba’s diaries that when K.R. Narayanan passed away, a CWC meeting was called, and the condolence message was drafted by Baba himself.”

Timing Amid Tributes for Former PM Manmohan Singh

The remarks come at a time when tributes are pouring in for former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who passed away on December 26, 2024. The Congress party has been active in honoring Singh’s contributions, with his mortal remains being kept at the AICC headquarters for party workers to pay their respects.

Allegation Raises Questions on Party Practices

Sharmistha Mukherjee’s post sheds light on an apparent inconsistency in the Congress party's protocol for honoring departed leaders. She referred to her father’s personal diaries to substantiate her claim, highlighting that a condolence meeting had been held for former President K.R. Narayanan.

Pranab Mukherjee, who served as India’s President from 2012 to 2017, was a key figure in Indian politics, with a long association with the Congress party. The absence of a formal condolence meeting for him had drawn criticism from several quarters, and Sharmistha’s statement has reignited the debate.

The Congress party has not yet responded to her statement. The comment underscores the need for uniformity and respect in acknowledging the contributions of national leaders, irrespective of their designation or tenure.