Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest ones are those that come out of a defeated, dejected and universally rejected Congressman. This is how Mani Shankar Aiyar, the one proud warhorse turned senile mule of Congress party should have begun his ode to the departing President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee. With all his education, his British aping mannerisms, his experience in the foreign office and his self-proclaimed credentials as an upholder of the constitution, Mani Shankar Aiyar should have thought twice before reducing the stature of a retiring President to that of a common Congresswallah. Pranab Mukherjee, whatever be his political inclinations before 2012, rose above the political divide when he ascended to the position of the President of the Republic of India. With his vast experience in politics, Pranab Da ensured that he brought sanity to what has become an increasingly acrid political discourse. The public adores Pranab Mukherjee not because he was once a Congressman, but how in spite of his long association with that despised organization, he proved himself to be a willing and more than able mentor to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his BJP led government. Atal Behari Vajpayee was taunted by many as the right man in the wrong party. Perhaps the same is true for Pranab Da.
For 43 years between 1969 to 2012, Pranab Mukherjee served Congress and the dynasty with utmost loyalty. Handpicked for his organizational skills by Indira Gandhi, Pranab Da even became a willing accomplice when Indira clamped emergency and murdered democracy. He rose rapidly within the ranks eventually becoming the Finance minister by the time of Indira‘s assassination. Considered to be the senior most Cabinet minister and Indira’s man of all seasons, it was widely believed that he would succeed Indira in the wake of her assassination. Even though Pranab Da has frequently denied that he ever aspired for the PM’s post, it was evident that he felt let down when Rajiv Gandhi, who was far less qualified and experienced succeeded his mother. Rajiv Gandhi and Pranab Mukherjee never hit it off. Mukherjee, one of Indira Gandhi’s senior most ministers was not even considered for a ministership under Rajiv Gandhi. Initially, he was relegated to Bengal Congress as its head and later even that position was taken away from him. Eventually, he was expelled from the Congress party.
Pranab Da’s fortunes did not take off outside the Congress party and he returned to the mothership with some sort of rapprochement with Rajiv Gandhi. At the time of Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, rumours once again began to blow on Pranab Da being offered the Prime Minister’s chair. This time, it was another Congress oldtimer, P V Narasimha Rao who beat Pranab Da in the race. Far from being offered a senior ministerial berth, Pranab Da was initially made the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, widely recognized as a political retirement of sorts before he made a comeback as the External Affairs minister.
One does not note any sentimental tears or protests being made by Mani Shankar Aiyar at this injustice meted out to Pranab Da.
It was Pranab Da who facilitated Sonia Gandhi’s ascent in the Congress, going against the tide when the likes of Sharad Pawar were deserting the party over Sonia Gandhi’s foreign origins issue. In 2004, when Congress returned to power, it was once again speculated that Pranab Da would be one of the top contenders for the PM’s post. He was considered to be close to Sonia Gandhi and was eminently qualified for the post. Yet, once again, Pranab Da’s loyalty was spurned by the Congress as Sonia Gandhi chose a more pliable Manmohan Singh for the PM’s post. Pranab Da was once again reduced to a no. 2 in the government, which was led from 10 Janpath. It is strange that Mani Shankar Aiyar and the likes of him did not condemn the evident unfairness with which Pranab Da was being treated. Perhaps Pranab Mukherjee’s elevation to the President’s post was the only way in which Sonia Gandhi and Congress could get rid of a voice of conscience and reason in an era marked by rapacity and corruption.
Be that as it may, it is astounding that Mani Shankar Aiyar now wants Pranab Mukherjee to guide Congress “back from its present nadir closer to the zenith”. For a party that values dynastic ties more than merit or experience, it is impossible that Pranab Da’s words would hold any value. At least it didn’t hold any value when Pranab Mukherjee was a Congress member. Far from waving flags announcing, ‘Welcome Home Pranab Da’, Mani Shankar Aiyar should introspect on why was a sparkling talent like Pranab Mukherjee treated so poorly by Gandhis’ Congress. That Pranab Mukherjee was a gem is a given. The point to note is that he continued to be a gem despite his long association with Congress rather than because of it.
