Sharmistha Mukherjee, the daughter of former President Pranab Mukherjee, has sharply criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s loyalists and also hit back at her brother, Abhijit Mukherjee, in a series of online posts. This follows her earlier comments regarding the lack of a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting after her father’s death in 2020.
Sharmistha targeted Rahul Gandhi’s supporters, who had referred to her father as a “Sanghi” after his visit to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) office in Nagpur. In her post, she challenged them to question Rahul Gandhi for his 2018 hug with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a parliamentary debate, citing the Congress leader’s mother, Sonia Gandhi, once calling Modi “maut ka saudagar.” “By their logic, Rahul should be seen as Modi’s accomplice,” Sharmistha wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
In another post, Sharmistha expressed her disdain for Rahul Gandhi’s inner circle, calling them “vicious fools & sycophants.” She dared them to unleash their criticisms on her, adding, “I give a damn!”
The controversy escalated with Sharmistha’s criticism of her brother, Abhijit Mukherjee. Abhijit had previously defended the Congress party, commenting on the late Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s legacy, describing him as a “father figure” who stabilized the Indian economy. Abhijit also addressed Sharmistha’s criticism regarding the absence of a CWC meeting after their father’s death, explaining that COVID-19 restrictions at the time had limited public gatherings, which is why such a meeting was not convened.
Sharmistha fired back, accusing her brother of rejoining the Congress party for “petty crumbs,” despite the party’s followers constantly insulting their father. She also referred to him as “dented and painted,” a phrase he had previously used to disparage the 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape protesters, which had sparked outrage at the time. “He is truly ‘dented-painted’. SICK!” she added.
The family’s public rift highlights growing tensions over the legacy of Pranab Mukherjee and the political trajectories of his children.
