Naem Nizam with Indian President Pranab Mukherjee. Delhi is now in the grip of scorching heat. I landed at Indira Gandhi Airport at 12’ O clock on July 11. Temperature was 45 degree Celsius amid bitter sunlight. I heaved a sigh of relief after getting in the car somehow. A journalist friend of Delhi said, climate is changing. Shivering cold felt in the winter and scorching heat in the summer. Befo
re going to the hotel I went to Talkata Road to meet a politician friend. He is a member of Lok Sabha. While going to hotel after meeting him by 3 PM, I received a telephone call from the Rastrapati Bhaban (President House) of India. The caller said, “I am speaking from the Rastrapati Bhaban. Your appointment with President Pranab Mukherjee has been fixed at 7-15 PM. However, the number of the car is needed just now. Please tell me the number of the car which will carry you.” I replied, “ I will let you know the number of the car before I start”. Just at 7 PM I reached the Rastrapati Bhaban. After conclusion of the security check, I took my seat in the guest room. The Rastrapati Bhaban of India was built by East India Company. After the shifting of capital from Calcutta to Delhi, the construction of a big palace there became essential. So, East India Company constructed this huge palace for the viceroy on over 4 thousand acres of land. The original design of the palace was handed over on 14 June 1912. Some Indian also worked alongside the British in preparing the architectural design of the palace. Because of it, the palace is enriched with some Mughal style as well along with the British style. There are 340 rooms in the four-storied huge Rastrapati Bhaban. In the Bhaban there are North Drawing Room, Museum, Marble Hall, Darbar Hall, Yellow Drawing Room, Joypur Minar, Banquet Hall and Asoka Hall. Inside the wall, there are big and small gardens and showers. The largest one is the Mughal Garden. Besides this, are the Harbal Garden which is used by different research institutes. And, reception to foreign dignitaries is accorded at the Mughal Garden. At the reception room, I was acquainted with two visitors from West Bengal. They have come to meet the president. They hail originally from Bangladesh. After partition they migrated to India. The passion of the aged man found its way of expression as he got a man from Bangladesh. His words were full of sincerity. The ADC took them away. After they entered the room of Pranab Mukherjee, the ADC came again and took us to his room. After waiting there for five minutes I was taken the room of the president. As I entered the room he said courteously, Come. As I reached near him, he rose up and asked wellbeing while shaking hands. His words, sincerity all are like that of the past. There is no change. He realises Bangldesh with the warmth of heart. Sree Pranab Mukherjee is not only the president of India, but also a true friend of Bangladesh. He had made tremendous contribution to the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. He worked with the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. His door was open for Mujibnagar government and people of Bangladesh. That door still remains the same. He has become the president of a big country like India, yet there has been no change in anything. Not only Pranab Mukherjee, the love of his wife, son and daughter for Bangladesh also is profound. Pranab Mukherjee and his family is an eternal friend of Bangladesh. The ancestral home of his wife Shuvra Mukherjee is situated in Narail in Bangladesh. Once I had asked his son and Congress leader Abhijit Mukherjee whether he has ever to Narail. He said: No I have not gone. However I have visited Dhaka and Chittagong of Bangladesh. I entered the room of Indian president at 7-30 PM. The 30-minute appointment did not follow the watch. Forty minutes were spent in cordial discussions. He was already aware of Bangladesh Pratidin. He wanted to know further about the paper. Discussions were also held about our Media House. The secular politics of the sub-continent also came up in the discussions. He mentioned about the importance of Bangladesh in geo -politics. He praised the presence of youths in Indian parliament and said, the youths can do many things. He always holds high hopes over Bangladesh. So he wished for the wellbeing of the people of Bangladesh. Time exhausted fast and I took leave of this veteran politician. Pranab Mukherjee was known in Indian politics as the crisis manger. In the past he used to resolve crisis in Congress. Now holding the prestigious and respectable position of the president he is giving guidelines to entire India. I wish long life for this man of democracy and non-communal ideals. (Naem Nizam is the Editor of daily Bangladesh Pratidin)
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