Pranab Mukherjee visits Sangh founder Dr. Hedgewar's home in Nagpur, RSS says his views will be invaluable

Mukherjee was accompanied by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.

RSS has tweeted the picture saying, "Pranabda visited Dr.Hedgewar's ( founder of Sangh ) home along with Mohanji Bhagwat. #RSSTritiyaVarsh"

Mukherjee will attend the RSS event in Nagpur at 7 pm on Thursday. 

In a blog post on the RSS website, it said: "There has been unseemly outrage amongst certain sections of the political class on former president Pranab Mukherjee's acceptance of an invitation as chief guest for the concluding ceremony of the RSS's Tritiya Varsh Training programme. Mukherjee is a mature and experienced politician who has spent decades in public life."

"He has well-evolved ideas on matters that are of social and national significance. The invitation has been extended to him with the view that this will be an invaluable opportunity to listen to his views. Also, he will have the opportunity to listen to the views of the Sangh and have a firsthand experience of Sangh as well. This exchange of views and ideas is intrinsic to the Bharatiya concept of dialogue, this invitation and its acceptance is but a continuation of that democratic tradition, enshrined in our cultural ethos.

Mukherjee's acceptance of the RSS invite has triggered a massive row with several Congress leaders including the former President's daughter Sharmistha expressing dismay in public.

Mukherjee's daughter and Congress leader Sharmistha Mukherjee disagreed with the former President's decision of joining the event.

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel tweeted to say, "I did not expect this from Pranab da !"

According to media reports, some Congress leaders had urged him to reconsider his decision to attend a function of the saffron outfit which has always been denounced as a communal force by Mukherjee's party and allegedly the former President himself.

The former President is reportedly going to be the chief guest at the valedictory function of the ‘Tritiya Varsh Varg’ or ‘third-year course’ of the RSS recruits on June 7. He will address the new recruits too, said reports.