Sharmistha Mukherjee Criticizes Rahul Gandhi Loyalists and Brother Abhijit Mukherjee in Fiery Exchange

Sharmistha Mukherjee, daughter of former President Pranab Mukherjee, has launched a scathing critique against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s supporters and her brother, Abhijit Mukherjee. Her remarks follow her earlier claims that no Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting was convened after her father’s demise in 2020, a claim that has sparked controversy within the party.

Taking to social media platform X, Sharmistha Mukherjee challenged Rahul Gandhi’s loyalists, whom she accused of calling her father a “Sanghi” due to his 2018 visit to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) headquarters in Nagpur. She juxtaposed this with Rahul Gandhi’s hug to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a Parliament session the same year.

“Rahul’s Bhakt-chelas who call my father ‘Sanghi’ for his RSS visit, I dare them to question their leader on why he hugged @narendramodi in Parliament, whom his mother called ‘maut ka saudagar.’ By their convoluted logic, Rahul should then be seen as his accomplice,” she wrote.

In another fiery post, she sarcastically wished Rahul Gandhi success in reviving the Congress, labeling his supporters “vicious fools and sycophants.” She added, “Now go and unleash your ‘Nafrat ki Dukandars’ on me. I give a damn!”

Targeting Her Brother Abhijit Mukherjee

Sharmistha also took aim at her brother, former Congress leader Abhijit Mukherjee, after he defended the party’s response to Pranab Mukherjee’s death, citing Covid-19 restrictions at the time.

Abhijit Mukherjee had stated that logistical limitations during the pandemic prevented large gatherings. He mentioned that senior leaders, including Prime Minister Modi and Rahul Gandhi, had paid their respects, and the Congress later corrected the absence of a CWC obituary meeting by issuing a proper tribute.

However, Sharmistha sharply rebuked her brother, accusing him of seeking political favors. “Shame is on the person who, for some petty crumbs, wants to rejoin a party whose followers abuse his father day-in and day-out in the vilest manner,” she wrote on X, adding, “He is truly ‘dented-painted.’ SICK!”—a reference to Abhijit’s controversial “dented and painted” comments during the Nirbhaya protests in 2012, which drew widespread condemnation.

Background on the Controversy

The remarks have reignited discussions over Pranab Mukherjee’s legacy and his decision to engage with the RSS, which had stirred debate within Congress circles during his lifetime. Sharmistha’s open critique underscores the growing fault lines within the party as it grapples with internal dissent and challenges to its leadership.

The public sparring also highlights the enduring tensions over the Congress’s response to the deaths of senior leaders, with Sharmistha’s allegations of neglect adding a new layer to the party’s internal struggles.