Former Congress leader, author, and daughter of former president Pranab Mukherjee, Sharmistha Mukherjee, who quit 'active politics' in 2021, claimed that she has been viciously trolled by Congress supporters on social media for her recent criticism of the party and its leadership.
A few days ago, on the sidelines of the 17th Jaipur Literature Festival, Mukherjee had expressed concern over the state of affairs in Congress saying, she is worried about the party.
"...as a Congress supporter and a responsible citizen, I am worried about the party. And certainly the time has come to look outside the Nehru-Gandhi family for leadership," she had said, while reiterating that she is a die-hard Congressperson whether people believe it or not.
Speaking about the social media attacks that she has been facing, she said on Friday, "Ever since the book on my father came out, Congress social media and some of the Congress leaders also had been speaking against it. Congress social media had been viciously trolling me."
"A few days back, on the sideline of the Jaipur LitFest, I made a statement in an interview and I was asked about my views about the Congress. I made it very clear that I am a Congressperson, and Congress still has a lot of importance to play in national politics. But the Congress should look beyond the leadership of Gandhi-Nehru family...Since then all hell broke loose," Mukherjee claimed.
She said all kinds of abuses were heaped on her by party supporters, and even her father's name was dragged into it.
"Yesterday, there has been one Congress supporter...he is followed by very senior leaders of Congress...He went berserk, saying all kinds of nasty things...nasty things having sexual connotations," she said.
Mukherjee said she tried to raise the social media attacks that she has been facing with party leaders Jairam Ramesh, Supriya Shrinate, and Rahul Gandhi by tagging them, but she did not receive any response. "So, then I decided to write this open letter to Congress, to Rahul Gandhi and tweeted it...I also tagged Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge," she said.
