As Pranab Mukherjee’s term comes to an end, he will be remembered as one of the most able Presidents who embedded grassroot innovations at different levels in higher education and governance. An empathetic ecosystem in the country has emerged through his patronage
President Pranab Mukherjee retires on July 24 and will pave the way for a new President to take over. The BJP is not keen to give him a second term and the President has also declared that he is not seeking one. The Rashtrapati Bhavan will have a new tenant as the BJP has adequate number to choose a successor.
Several Presidents before Mukherjee have left behind their footprints at the Raisina Hill. India’s first President Rajendra Prasad was the tallest among them. We have had erudite Presidents like Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, APJ Abdul Kalam who were called the ‘people’s President’; Neelam Sanjiva Reddy and Gyani Zail Singh who had had a tumultuous relationship with the executive. There were docile Presidents too like Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed who signed the emergency papers on the dotted line and copybook Presidents like R Venkataraman and KR Narayanan. Pratibha Patil was one who did not leave behind any legacy.
But what kind of legacy will Pranab Mukherjee leave behind after his five-year termIJ He said in a recent television interaction, “I don’t want to leave legacy because it is democracy. Democracy is a mass and I am a part of the mass. I will melt into the mass. Melt into thin air. I would like to be in the midst of the people. I don’t leave any legacy.”
Mukherjee’s term was by and large a non-controversial one though he did not to face much challenges. Mukherjee was a United Progressive Alliance nominee with his long experience as a Congress leader. In his acceptance speech he said, “I would like to thank the people of India for electing me to this high office. The enthusiasm, the warmth of the people was remarkable. I have received much more from the people of this country, from the Parliament, than I have given. Now I have been entrusted with the responsibility of protecting and defending the Constitution as President. I will try and justify the trust of the people.”
The general election of 2014 would have been his first test but the BJP came to power on its own, although, political pundits predicted another coalition Government. From the beginning, relationship between the Narendra Modi Government and the President was cordial. His office was hugely supportive when Modi decided to invite the heads of the states of neighbouring countries for his swearing-in ceremony. As the constitutional head, Mukherjee hosted several Governor’s conferences and often held video conferences with them.
Mukherjee’s relationship with Parliament also was cordial. Members of Parliament from all parties often used to meet him and so did leaders of the political parties as he kept himself abreast of political situation in the country. Being a long-time parliamentarian, last month he said in Jaipur, “The huge power vested in the members of lok Sabha, members of legislative assemblies of all 29 States by 800 million people... if we do not utilise that privilege and power, we are ourselves to blame.”
On the diplomatic side, it is the President who receives the Ambassadors when they are posted to India. He also hosts banquets when the Presidents and Prime Ministers of other countries visit India and interact with them during their visits. Mukherjee opened up the Rashtrapati Bhavan guest wing and hosted dignitaries, including that of Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina; Hamid Karzai, President of Afghanistan; Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the king of Bhutan; and Akihito, the current emperor of Japan among others. He has also interacted with visiting dignitaries which includes former US President Barack Obama; Russian President Vladimir Putin; Chinese President Xi Jinping; former President of France Francois Hollande and Shinzo Abe, the Prime Minister of Japan.
During his term, Mukherjee visited several countries, including Bangladesh, Nepal, China, Namibia, Ghana, New Zealand, Palestine, Belgium, Sweden, Israel, New Zealand, Jordan, and Bhutan. He had hosted the Second Summit of Forum for the India-Pacific Island Cooperation.
While Mukherjee is credited with raising the right issues; understanding the public mood; on matters like imposition of President’s rule, he had signed on the dotted lines and it was the Supreme Court which reversed these decisions. His critics feel that he could have sent those back like his predecessor KR Narayanan but insiders say that he has objected on file.
Mukherjee asserted his powers vis-a-vis the Government, by rejecting its recommendations while considering mercy petitions for death-row convicts. He has rejected 30, (including the two he rejected last week) in contrast to three of his predecessors who altogether rejected mercy petitions of six death-row convicts. Mukherjee spoke his mind on several issues. He had clear views on inclusive politics, corruption and tolerance. On intolerance, he said, “We are one nation. This mutual co-existence, mutual understanding is our strength. Managing this diversity is our greatest strength. If it is said Indians are argumentative, I will agree. But if it is said Indians are intolerant, I refuse to agree. Intolerance has never been allowed.”
He noted that a legislature was effective “only if it is able to address the differences amongst stakeholders and succeeds in building a consensus for the law to be enacted and enforced,” referring to the Centre issuing eight Ordinances in the space of as many months because of its lack of majority in the Rajya Sabha.
The legacy of Mukherjee will be remembered for embedding grassroots innovations at different levels in higher education and governance. An empathetic ecosystem in the country has emerged through the patronage at the presidential level. The President leaves Raisina Hill to live a quiet life and reading books but Mukherjee will be remembered as one of the able Presidents.
(The writer is a senior political commentator and syndicated columnist)