Page 19 - THEBEACON VOL 4

Kurnool |AUG 30th - SEP 05th| VOL 04,2020
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With his vast knowledge of post independence political N e w s p a p e r F o r C h i l d r e n
history and governance, Mukherjee remained a key gure
and active participant in shaping the course of India's
development.
He served as member of the Congress Working
Committee, the highest decision-making body of the party,
for 23 years until becoming president in 2012 and was
often called in to trouble shoot for the party.
Mukherjee's meeting with Henry Kissinger in 2004 altered
the course of Indo-US strategic partnership. In 2005, when
he was defence minister, the new framework for US-India
defence relations was signed.
From 2004-2012, Mukherjee played a key role in critical
decisions of the Manmohan Singh-led government on
issues such as Right to Information, food security as well as
the setting up of the UIDAI and the Metro Rail project.
He was also known as one of the chief architects of the
post-Congress era of Indian politics, playing an active role
in galvanising the outside support which the Congress
offered to the United Front governments led by then prime
minister H D Deve Gowda and later I K Gujral.
Most of his political life spent as a committed Congress
member -- except for a brief spell between 1987 and
1988 when he was out of the party -- was fairly non-
controversial.
But in June 2018, a year after he demitted ofce,
Mukherjee triggered huge controversy by visiting the RSS
headquarters in Nagpur and delivering a valedictory
address there.
In 2019, he was conferred India's highest civilian honour
Bharat Ratna by the BJP government, a development that
became a subject of intense political debate.
Ending his political career as president of India, he left his
mark on the highest ofce of the land too.
Mukherjee's tenure as president will stand out for the
tough stance he took on mercy petitions. Of the 34 mercy
petitions presented to him, he rejected 30.
He will be remembered for the steps he took to make the
Rashtrapati Bhavan closer to the people. He opened it up
for the public and made a museum.
The Durbar Hall was refurbished with Mukherjee ensuring
during his presidency that events were held under its lofty
dome. The library was renovated as well with researchers
getting access to its extensive catalogue of books.
Besides, he opened the gates of the presidential palace
for writers, artists, innovators, scientists and students
through an in-residency programme.
The keen intellectual with an avid interest in history,
international relations and parliamentary processes has
gone. And with him, one more witness to India's growth
story and evolution through the decades.

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