Former President Pranab Mukherjee will address members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at its headquarters in Nagpur on June 7, a top RSS official has confirmed to The Indian Express. Mukherjee’s office is yet to issue a statement.
“We had extended an invitation to the former president to address RSS workers at our headquarters in Nagpur. He has accepted our invitation and will be present at the event,” the RSS official said. The Third Year Sangha Shiksha Varga (SSV) of the RSS has a participation of over 600 workers.
“Former President Pranab Mukherjee’s acceptance to attend RSS event in Nagpur sends a message to the country that on vital issues there should be dialogue and adversaries are not enemies. Questions raised on RSS-Hindutva is being answered by his acceptance of invitation,” RSS leader Rakesh Sinha said.
Mukherjee, 82, demitted office of president in July last year, and has been a Congressman for decades having worked closely with former prime minister Indira Gandhi as well as Rajiv Gandhi. In his last tenure before demitting office, he served as finance minister in the UPA II government headed by former prime minister Manmohan Singh.