Pranab Mukherjee's daughter Sharmistha slams Rahul Gandhi's ‘bhakt-chelas’, hits back at brother for defending Congress

Sharmistha Mukherjee, the daughter of former president Pranab Mukherjee, has lashed out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's loyalists and hit back at her brother, Abhijit Mukherjee, on Monday for defending the grand old party, after she alleged that no CWC meeting was convened after her father's demise.

Sharmistha Mukherjee also challenged Rahul Gandhi's “Bhakt-chelas”, who allegedly called Pranab Mukherjee “Sanghi” for his visit to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh office in Nagpur, to question the Congress MP for hugging Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a Parliament debate in 2018.

Also Read | Abhijit Mukherjee counters sister, says Covid-19 curbs in place when Pranab died

“Rahul’s Bhakt-chelas who call my father ‘Sanghi’ for his RSS visit, I dare them to question their leader on why did he hug @narendramodi in parliament whom his mother called ‘maut ka saudagar’? By their convoluted logic, Rahul then should be seen as his accomplice,” Sharmistha Mukherjee posted on X on Monday.

In another post, she wrote, “All the best to @RahulGandhi to revive Congress with this bunch of vicious fools & sycophants! Now go & unleash your ‘Nafrat ki dukandars’ on me. I give a damn!”

Pranab Mukherjee's daughter also targeted her brother, who earlier said there should be no controversy surrounding the death of former prime minister Manmohan Singh.

Also Read | ‘Utter rubbish…’: Pranab Mukherjee's daughter Sharmistha slams Congress amid Manmohan Singh memorial row

Abhijit Mukherjee defends Congress

Abhijit Mukherjee's remarks come after Sharmistha Mukherjee said she felt bad when no Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting was convened after the former president's death.

“There should be absolutely no controversy surrounding the death of someone like Dr Manmohan Singh. He was an economist and a personality about whom no amount of praise would ever be enough,” news agency PTI quoted Abhijit Mukherjee as saying.

"In my father's language, a perfect gentleman, I have never seen him (Manmohan Singh) get angry. Whenever I met him, he was smiling, a soothing personality and a father figure," Abhijit Mukherjee added.

“He stabilised the Indian economy when it was in doldrums, he laid the foundation of Indian economy. A reformer like Dr Manmohan Singh will likely never come again,” the former Congress leader said.

Also Read | Pranab Mukherjee's daughter takes ‘real rot’ jibe at Congress: ‘Why no CWC…’

Reacting to his sister's allegation, Abhijit Mukherjee said that Covid-19 curbs were in place during Pranab Mukherjee’s demise in 2020. Pranab Mukherjee had passed away at the age of 84 after testing positive for Covid-19.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Abhijit Mukherjee defended the Congress by saying, “When my father died, it was Covid-19 time. There were a lot of restrictions in place which is why people could not gather. Even (then-Delhi CM Arvind) Kejriwal’s administration did not allow even family members to visit. Only 20 family and friends were present there."

“The Congress wanted to take out a rally but they could not (due to Covid-19) but they came and visited. Even PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi and senior leaders came," he said.

“I think what she (Sharmistha) is referring to is that there was a CWC meeting when they missed a proper obituary, or there was no separate CWC meeting for his obituary. But later on, they corrected this course of action and did it regularly," Abhijit said.

Sharmistha's 'dented and painted' dig at brother

Hitting back her brother’s response, Sharmistha took to X and said, “Shame is on the person who, for some petty crumbs, wants to rejoin a party whose followers abuse his father day-in & day-out in the most vilest manner."

“He is truly ‘dented-painted’. SICK!", she commented, apparently referring to Abhijit’s controversial “dented and painted" comments against protesters of the Nirbhaya gangrape case in 2012, which sparked widespread outrage.