Assam Congress urges Pranab Mukherjee to reconsider attending RSS conference

Assam Congress President and Rajya Sabha MP, Ripun Bora on Tuesday wrote to former President Pranab Mukherjee asking him to reconsider his decision to attend the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) conference.

Bora said it is surprising that Mukherjee being a strong supporter of Congress ideology of secularism accepted the invitation of the RSS who is totally opposed to it.

He accused the RSS of not respecting the national flag, propagating the idea of one nation one religion and held them responsible for the growth of social and religious intolerance in the country.

"You are going to attend the meeting of such an organisation who never respects the National flag of our country. This is the organisation who is now propagating the idea of one Nation one religion," he wrote.

"This is the organisation that is responsible for the unabated growth of social and religious intolerance and politics of religious polarization during this four years misrule of BJP govt. at centre under Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi," he added.

The former president will address the Third Year Sangha Shiksha Varga (SSV), which is held in the RSS headquarters annually in Nagpur.

The event is scheduled to be held on June 7.

Mahatma Gandhi, former president Zakir Husain, activist Jayaprakash Narayan and commander-in-chief of the Indian Army, Kodandera M. Cariappa had previously been guests at various RSS events.