Nagpur, June 6: Former president Pranab Mukherjee will arrive in Nagpur on Wednesday evening to attend a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) event. Mukherjee has faced criticism from opposition parties over his decision to accept the RSS invite. The former president is scheduled to address the concluding function of Sangh Shiksha Varg (SSV) at its headquarters in Reshimbagh on June 7.

According to reports, Around 700 swayamsevaks from across the country will participate in the camp. The RSS clarified that it had invited the former president as part of a tradition of calling eminent people to this annual event.

Mukherjee’s acceptance to the invite has drawn flak from the Congress and other opposition parties. Another section in the Congress also believed that by attending such events will bridge the political divide. Mukherjee had also invited RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to Rashtrapati Bhavan during his tenure as president. Top RSS leaders were also invited by the former president to his book launch in Delhi earlier this year.

There is no confirmation whether Mukherjee will visit Smruti Mandir, the memorial of RSS founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar or not. While speaking to Bengali daily Anandabazar Patrika, Mukherjee said that it was not the right time to respond to his critics. He further added that whatever he had to say, he would say in Nagpur.

Even Mahatma Gandhi had attended RSS event in 1934. Besides Gandhi, Buddhist spiritual leader Dalai Lama, former president Zakir Husain, activist Jayaprakash Narayan and commander-in-chief of the Indian Army, Kodandera M. Cariappa had also attended RSS events in the past.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 06, 2018 01:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).