NAGPUR/ NEW DELHI: Former President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday delivered the much-anticipated address at an RSS event and said that attempts to define our nation on religion, region, hatred and intolerance will lead to "dilution" of our country.
"Any attempt at defining our nationhood in terms of dogma and identities or religion, region, hatred and intolerance will only lead to dilution of our national identity. We celebrate our diversity," said Mukherjee.
The former president hailed the diversity in Indian society and its rich history, saying that the country derives its strength from pluralism.
"Soul of India resides in pluralism and tolerance. This plurality came with the assimilation of ideas over centuries," he said.
On secularism, the former president said, "Our national identity has emerged after a long drawn process of confluence and assimilation, the multiple cultures and faiths make us special and tolerant. Secularism is a matter of faith for us."
Mukherjee who served as the President of India from 2012 to 2017 said that we must free our public discourse from all kinds of fear and violence.
The former president then proceeded to reflect on the vast pluralism enshrined in the Indian society. "India's nationhood is not one language, one enemy and one religion," he said.
Mukherjee further elucidated his idea of nationalism by quoting Mahatma Gandhi. "As Gandhi ji explained Indian nationalism was not exclusive nor aggressive nor destructive," he said.
Mukherjee was warmly welcomed at the headquarters of the RSS in Nagpur ahead of the event that he attended despite fierce objections from the Congress. "Images of Pranab Da, veteran leader and ideologue at RSS Headquarters have anguished millions of Congress workers," tweeted senior Congress leader Anand Sharma.
On Wednesday night, a sharp message came from the Congress leadership in the form of a tweet by Ahmed Patel: "I did not expect this from Pranab da".
The former President's daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee, a Congress leader, also tweeted her disapproval on Wednesday.
Before Mukherjee's address, RSS Sarsangchalak Mohan Bhagwat said that this event had taken place in the past as well and discussion surrounding Mukherjee's presence at this event is inconsequential.
Shortly before his address, the former president visited the birthplace of the RSS founding Sarsanghachalak Keshav Baliram Hedgewar and described him as a 'great son of Mother India'.