Daughter of the late Pranab Mukherjee, Sharmistha Mukherjee has accused the Congress party of institutional decay, calling for introspection over what she described as a "sad state of affairs" within the organisation.
Mukherjee expressed disappointment over the party's alleged neglect of conventions, particularly in its failure to convene a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting following her father’s demise.
The former President’s daughter also highlighted the alienation of veteran Congress loyalists, questioning the party’s commitment to its ideological legacy.
“The Congress has to answer for this,” Mukherjee stated. “I can only state the fact. But I would like to just add, I do not know whether it was deliberate or sheer negligence. What are the conventions in such a grand old party?”
Mukherjee criticised the Congress leadership, alleging that its institutional memory has deteriorated. She specifically pointed to the treatment of her father and other non-dynastic leaders, citing the trolling of herself and her father by Congress sympathisers.
"The whole Congress ecosystem, as in its social media, was relentlessly trolling me and my father over this and some other issues," Mukherjee alleged. "The kind of language that was used on me and one of the tallest leaders like my father shows that there is a real rot in the Congress."
Asked about the legacy of other leaders like P.V. Narasimha Rao, she remarked, “Let us not forget what was done to [former Prime Minister] P.V. Narasimha Rao.”
Mukherjee further lamented that no condolence meeting was held by the CWC for her father.
In a post on X, she revealed that Pranab Mukherjee’s diaries had confirmed a precedent for such meetings during the deaths of past presidents like K.R. Narayanan.
“When baba passed away, Congress didn’t even bother to call CWC for a condolence meeting,” she wrote.
On the demand for a memorial for former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Mukherjee supported the proposal.
“The demand for a memorial in his honour is absolutely justified,” she said. “He was the architect of economic reforms in India, the father of India's growth story, and a two-time prime minister. Also, on behalf of the ordinary citizens of India, I demand Bharat Ratna for him; he thoroughly deserves it.”
Singh, who passed away on 26 December at the age of 92, left behind a rich legacy as an economist and statesman. Mukherjee clarified that her comments were made as a citizen and not as a Congress member, as she has quit active politics.
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