In what has come as a huge public embarrassment for the Congress, former President Pranab Mukherjee gave a lesson in patriotism and nationalism to the Congress. This comes as a bitter lesson for the entire pro-leftist cabal which has been projecting patriotism and nationalism as redundant and extremist values. The political veteran spoke on a variety of issues during the closing ceremony of the Tritiya Varsha Sangh Shiksha Varga, an RSS event. This was a significant ceremony that marked the closing of a three-year training camp for Swayamsevaks in Nagpur.
Pranab Mukherjee started his speech by explaining the concepts of Nation, Nationalism and Patriotism in the context of India. He delved into the Hinduism’s global influence in the ancient history. Of late, there has been an attempt to malign this part of the history because of its Hindu association but while speaking about India’s history and its cultural past, former president Pranab Mukherjee emphasized the heritage and culture of ancient India in the making of modern India. This suggests that even for the former Congress leader, ancient period was a golden timeline in India’s long history. He spoke at length about how foreign travellers such as Megasthenese and Fa Hien were all praise for India at that time. In a very authoritative manner, Pranab Mukherjee spoke about the glorious educational institutions at that time dominating the entire world for a period of 1800 years beginning the sixth century BCE. He reiterated how art, literature and scholarship flourished in ancient India. He also made it clear that the idea of India has existed since the times of the Mauryan dynasty and that India was a state long before the concept of European nation state gained ground.
What the former president said thereafter, must have proved to be a nightmare for not only the Congress but the entire pseudo-secular mafia. While speaking about the popular dynasties in ancient India, Pranab Mukherjee bluntly stated that several dynasties ruled till the 12th century after which “Muslim invaders” captured Delhi and ruled for 300 years. As far as Mughals are concerned, Pranab Mukherjee stated that they took over and continued for another 300 years. Therefore, the former president not only made a strong statement about the invaders, but he also signified how the Mughals are a forgettable part of our history. Those who have tried projecting Mughals as the most benevolent rulers must have been shaken to the core. Pranab Mukherjee simply skipped their part because he had nothing positive to speak about the tyrants. He has shown the place that these invaders hold in our history which is no better than the British invaders.
The entire speech was full of terminologies like patriotism and nationalism, which is not only alien to the Congress but hated in several quarters by the Congress and its associated ecosystem. In a striking blow to vested interests within India which are on a campaign to malign India, Pranab Mukherjee shed light on the greatness of India’s nationalism. He made it clear that nationalism in India has strong foundations and is based on a long drawn process of confluence, assimilation, and co-existence. Not caring for what Congress or any other pseudo-secular organisation has to say, Pranab Mukherjee was seen quoting Sanskrit slogans with pride, referring to Arthashastra and Chankaya, referring to Gupta dynasty as one of the golden periods of Indian history and explaining how Chandragupta Maurya established a powerful empire in north and north-western India by defeating the Greeks. He also referred to India as “motherland”, a reference that was absurdly ridiculed by the so called liberals. However, Pranab Mukherjee shrewdly said everything in his speech that any pseudo liberal would be frightened to hear. There has been systematic disinformation campaign aimed at labelling these glorious parts of Indian history as a dark age. However, it seems that the former president has busted all such myths in a single speech.
While speaking about the contribution of the Congress in the freedom movement and nation building, he made express mention of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Surindernath Banerjee and Bal Gangadhar Tilak. Comparatively, not much was said of Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi. Pranab Mukherjee, therefore has openly ignored the practice of praising Nehru for anything good that ever happened to India.
In what would have come as a rude shock to the nationalism-hating gang, Pranab Mukherjee ended his speech at the RSS event with Jai Hind showcasing a sense of deep patriotism for the country.
Even the idea of Pranab Mukherjee attending the RSS event was sufficient to panic the Congress. We witnessed how the Congress leaders came out questioning the respected leader himself for attending the event. The Congress has already shown by its overreaction how it was fuming at Pranab Mukherjee attending and speaking at the RSS event. Now, the former President having himself given a speech at the RSS event will definitely give some sleepless nights to the Congress leaders. Before this, Pranab Mukherjee had amplified the problems for the Congress by stating in the visitor’s book at RSS founder KB Hedgewar’s birthplace in Nagpur that, “Today I came here to pay my respect and homage to a great son of Mother India”.
Pranab Mukherjee has undone all the propaganda that has been put in place against Hedgewar. It seems that without dramatising any of his remarks, Pranab Mukherjee has busted several myths and has also given a lesson in patriotism and nationalism to the Congress which it won’t forget easily.