Former President Pranab Mukherjee breathed his last on Monday after battling various ailments, including coronavirus, for almost 20 days. His son Abhijit Mukherjee announced the demise of the 84-year-old Mukherjee who was admitted to Army hospital in the national Capital on August 10.
A people’s person till the end, “Citizen Mukherjee” tweeted that he had tested positive for Covid-19 on August 10. It was his last post and his last words to the public.
“With a heavy heart, this is to inform you that my father Shri Pranab Mukherjee has just passed away in spite of the best efforts of doctors of RR Hospital and prayers, duas and prarthanas from people throughout India. I thank all of you folded hands,” Abhijit Mukherjee tweeted.
The late President was operated for the removal of a clot in his brain and later developed a lung infection. Pranab Mukherjee was the 13th President of India from 2012 to 2017 and was conferred with the highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna, by the Narendra Modi Government.
President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former VP Hamid Ansari, Union Ministers, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and several others led the nation in condoling the death of the former President saying the country has lost a statesman.
While Pranab Mukherjee’s house in Birbhum’s Mirati village in West Beny wore a sad, forlorn look after the passing away of the former President, sources in Government said he will be cremated in the national Capital. The Centre announced a seven-day national mourning period —August 31 to September 6.
A quintessential party loyalist and the trusted Man Friday of three Congress Prime Ministers, Pranab Mukherjee’s climb up the political ladder stopped just short of his ambition to occupy the PM’s post in 2004, and instead fortunes sent him to the highest office Rashtrapati Bhavan as the country’s first citizen.
Though he had many facets in his over five decades of a political career, he was Congress’ troubleshooter through the decades and one of the country’s most respected politicians. Demonstrating his ability to quickly adapt to situations as they arose, Mukherjee was at ease with the new mode of communication.
A politician of the past era, Mukherjee realised the significance of social media tool and used Twitter a platform to reach out to people and always expressed his condolences on the death of leaders and friends, greet people on festivals or wish them on their birthdays.
He remained a presence to contend even after he demitted the office of President, often making headlines as he attended book launches and delivered lectures. It was a life of many firsts and accomplishments for the West Bengal-born politician, famed for his encyclopedic memory, razor-sharp intellect and deep insights into issues.
In 1982, he became India’s youngest Finance Minister when he was just 47. In the years that followed, he served as India’s Minister for External Affairs, Defence, Finance, and Commerce and was the first Indian President to have done so.
Mukherjee managed the rare distinction of serving three Prime Ministers as a Minister — Indira Gandhi, P V Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh- ever the Congress’ trusted Man Friday as it evolved over the decades. Mukherjee was also India’s only non-Prime minister who was the leader of the Lok Sabha for eight years. He was also the leader of the Rajya Sabha from 1980-85.
There were other landmarks in a remarkable political career, which started in 1969 as a Rajya Sabha member for the Bangla Congress which subsequently merged with the Congress.
When he became president in 2012, Mukherjee was heading 24 of 39 GOMs (Groups of Ministers). Between 2004 and 2012, he chaired 95 GOMs. Mukherjee was famous in political circles as a consensus builder.
He inspired trust among leaders across the political spectrum, an asset that proved handy at the time of his election as President.
In his book released after demitting the highest office “The Coalition Years”, Mukherjee acknowledged that he had hoped to get the post in May 2004 after then Congress president Sonia Gandhi herself declined the position.
“Finally she named Dr Manmohan Singh as her choice and he accepted. The prevalent expectation was that I would be the next choice for prime minister after Sonia Gandhi declined,” Mukherjee wrote, admitting that he had initially refused to join the Cabinet of Manmohan Singh who had been his junior in the past but agreed when Sonia Gandhi insisted.
Mukherjee remained the UPA’s chief crisis manager through its tumultuous years, starting 2004 until he became president on July 25, 2012.
Born on December 11, 1935 in the small village of Mirati in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, Mukherjee received early lessons in life from his freedom fighter parents. His father, a Congress leader, endured great financial hardship and was sent to jail several times for his role in the freedom struggle.
The roots were strong and never forgotten, taking him back often from the corridors of power to his village during Durga Puja, even when he became president. Photographs of Mukherjee, performing prayers in a traditional dhoti, made it to the public domain through his years as minister and president.
In 2015, he lost his wife Suvra Mukherjee. He is survived by his two sons Indrajit and Abhijit, and daughter Sharmistha, who was by his side during important events of his presidential years. Abhijit and Sharmistha are members of Congress now.
Mukherjee, who served in the Rajya Sabha for five terms and in the Lok Sabha twice and was one of India’s longest-serving Parliamentarians became a member of the Congress Parliamentary Party when the Bangla Congress merged with the Congress in 1971.
Though he occupied various positions in the Government, Mukherjee was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time only in 2004 when he won from West Bengal’s Jangipur constituency. He had lost the previous two Lok Sabha contests — from Malda in 1977 and Bolpur in 1980.
Mukherjee, who rose to prominence as a Minister in Indira Gandhi’s Cabinet, was known for his deep understanding of Indian politics, economic policies as well as strategic issues.
But after the assassination of Indira Gandhi, the man considered by many to be a candidate for the Prime Minister’s post had fallen out of favour with Rajiv Gandhi. Expelled In 1986, he formed his own party. But the falling out was brief and Mukherjee rejoined the Congress six years later.
With his vast knowledge of post-independence political history and governance, Mukherjee remained a key figure and active participant in shaping the course of India’s development.
He served as member of the Congress Working Committee, the highest decision-making body of the party, for 23 years until becoming president in 2012 and was often called in to troubleshoot for the party.
Tuesday, 01 September 2020 | PNS | New Delhi
