Showering lavish praises on President Pranab Mukherjee, chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said that he was the pride of Bengal. An elated Ms Banerjee was bewildered as to how to address him. “I know it is a protocol to address him as Sir. But I do not know whether I should address him as President Pranab Mukherjee or as Pranabda which I have always called him. I have very old relations with him which will never change,” she added. She was speaking at the public reception which was accorded to Mr Mukherjee at the Netaji Indoor Stadium.
Ms Banerjee expressed her gratitude to him for accepting her request to make West Bengal the first destination to visit after becoming the President. Mr Mukherjee in his speech profusely thanked her for organising such a grand felicitation in his honour. In the new-found bonhomie, both Mr Mukherjee and Ms Banerjee perhaps did not want to be reminded that it was the latter who had opposed tooth and nail his presidential candidature when it was formally announced by UPA chairperson Mrs Sonia Gandhi.
Paying glowing tributes to him, governor M.K. Narayanan described Mr Mukherjee as an “iconic personality.” He begged to differ with Ms Banerjee that he was only Bengal’s pride. “I would say Mr Mukherjee is a shining symbol of the best of our country,” he added.
Referring to Nobel Laureate Tagore’s acceptance speech on his 70th birthday, Mr Mukherjee said that he too like the great poet felt humbled by so much love and affection. “I am a Kolkatan. I was not born here but I spent large part of my life in this city and know many people here. Being felicitated in Kolkata by these luminaries from the fields of literature, culture, sports and business is overwhelming,” he said.
The public reception was witnessed by the entire state Cabinet and other dignitaries from the field of sports, arts and literature. The President was presented a glass statue of Rabindranath Tagore, a memento and a traditional dhoti-kurta set by the chief minister.
Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee, mayor Sovan Chatterjee, industrialist Sanjiv Goenka, singer Sandhya Mukherjee and representatives of three prominent football clubs also presented mementoes to Mr Mukherjee.
Earlier Mr Mukherjee was received at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International airport by the governor and Ms Banerjee. He was given a ceremonial guard of honour by an armed forces contingent.On Saturday, Mr Mukherjee will visit Kharagpur to address the 58th convocation of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). In the evening, he will return to Kolkata and visit the Netaji Bhavan. Later he will attend a programme organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce.