Argumentative family: Sharmistha Mukherjee defends criticism of father Pranab's RSS speech

NEW DELHI: All is well in the Mukherjee household, public arguments notwithstanding. 

A day after former President Pranab Mukherjee attended the RSS event, daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee - who openly expressed her dissent on the matter, said that the argumentative genes run in the family. 

Responding to BJP leader Subramanian Swamy's comment, where he said individuals including family members, have different opinions, Sharmistha tweeted, “Exactly! That’s how I grew up, & that’s why I don’t have any problem expressing my differences with him on issues even in public. We are a democratic, argumentative family; I learnt this from my father only.”

Exactly! That’s how I grew up, & that’s why I don’t have any problem expressing my differences with him on issues even in public. We are a democratic, argumentative family; & I learnt this from my father only https://t.co/GcF3S7gVmc — Sharmistha Mukherjee (@Sharmistha_GK) June 8, 2018

Earlier on Friday, as morphed images of Pranab Mukherjee did the rounds of social media, Sharmistha had tweeted, "See, this is exactly what I was fearing and warned my father about. Not even few hours have passed, but BJP/RSS dirty tricks dept is at work in full swing!" she said. 

Sharmistha Mukherjee along with other Congress leaders had vehemently opposed her father attending the RSS event and said was giving the BJP and the Sangh a handle to plant false stories.

Hope @CitiznMukherjee now realises from todays’ incident, how BJP dirty tricks dept operates. Even RSS wouldn’t believe that u r going 2 endorse its views in ur speech. But the speech will be forgotten, visuals will remain & those will be circulated with fake statements. 1/2 — Sharmistha Mukherjee (@Sharmistha_GK) June 6, 2018

.@CitiznMukherjee By going 2 Nagpur, u r giving BJP/RSS full handle 2 plant false stories, spread falls rumours as 2day & making it somewhat believable. And this is just d beginning! 2/2 — Sharmistha Mukherjee (@Sharmistha_GK) June 6, 2018

In his speech at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur, Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday warned that any attempt to define India through "religion, dogma or intolerance" will only dilute the country's existence. 

He said intolerance will only dilute India' national identity and Indian nationalism emanated from universalism, assimilation and co-existence. 

"In India, we derive our strength from tolerance and respect our pluralism. We celebrate our diversity," Mukherjee said. Mukherjee, who served as president of India between 2012 and 2017, added, "I am here to share my understanding on nation, nationalism and patriotism about our country which is 'Bharat'... We must free our public discourse from all kinds of fear and violence."