PRANAB MUKERJI WAS A NICE BLEND OF POLITICIAN, DIPLOMAT AND RELIGIOUS-MINDED HUMAN-BEING

Bureau,Odishabarta

DELHI,in the death of Pranab Mukerji, nation has lost a great personality rightly honored by present BJP-led government with highest national honour of Bharat Ratna despite his being from opposition Congress. Congress never gave him the most-deserving post of Prime Minister even though he was made President of India by the party perhaps under some compelling reasons.

I was privileged to get appointment from him both on his being at post of President and after retirement, whenever I wished for the appointment. He was a personality who followed his religious tradition of attending Durga Puja in his native village every year for three days even on his becoming President of India. But he also fulfilled his duty as President of India to attend Dussehra celebration in Delhi by directly coming to Ramlila venue at Delhi from his native village and looking visibly tired after three hectic days of Puja celebration, because President of India ever since India became Republic has been traditionally attending Dussehra celebrations in Delhi.

He told me that he in his life-time missed Puja-celebrations in his native village only twice in his life-time that too once on direction of his mother because of examinations. Otherwise he accepted any post on pre-condition that his official engagements including outside India would be so fixed that he could attend Puja celebrations in his village for three days. He was so humble that he became only ex-President in the world to accept invitation to be a guest-speaker at normal meeting of an ordinary Rotary Club.

Input;Subash Agarwal