A morphed photo of former president Pranab Mukherjee surfaced on social media hours after his speech at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Soon after a morphed photo of former president Pranab Mukherjee surfaced on social media hours after his speech at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) event in Nagpur, the organisation on Friday condemned the emergence of the photograph. In the fake photo, Mukherjee is seen raising his hand up to his chest in the RSS way of salutation along with leaders of the organisation. In reality, the former president had only stood in attention. A press statement was released by Manmohan Vaidya, Sah Sarkaryavah of the RSS addressing the photo issue. Press Statement Issued by Dr.Manmohan Vaidya, Sah Sarkaryavah of Sangh, in the context of a morphed photo of Sh Pranab Mukherjee posted by some divisive political forces. https://t.co/LmxyWLyCqF — RSS (@RSSorg) June 8, 2018 "These forces initially tried to create an opposition to make Dr.Mukherjee refrain from attending this function and now these frustrated forces are indulging in all such dirty tricks to defame RSS. We denounce and strongly condemn the lowly act of these divisive political forces who are deliberately trying to defame RSS," he said in the release. Following the appearance of the fake photograph doing rounds on social media, the blamegame also started with the Congress quickly grabbing the opportunity to attack the Right-wing organisation. Incidentally, the Congress charge was led by the former president's daughter and Congress leader Sharmistha Mukherjee commented who tweeted that she feared and cautioned her father against the "dirty tricks department" of the BJP-RSS.<doc-sep>Minutes after former President Pranab Mukherjee delivered his speech at the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) event in Nagpur on Thursday, morphed images of him giving an RSS-style salute started doing the rounds of the social media. In the craftily edited photograph, Mukherjee is seen wearing a black colour cap similar to that worn by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and other RSS officials. The morphed photo also shows him raising his hand to his chest and giving a salute akin to the one given by RSS cadres. In reality, Mukherjee neither wore a cap nor did he give any salute. Responding to social media posts that have shared the photo, Mukherjee's daughter and Congress leader Sharmistha Mukherjee reminded her father that she had cautioned him that the RSS will be resorting to things such as this. See, this is exactly what I was fearing & warned my father about. Not even few hours have passed, but BJP/RSS dirty tricks dept is at work in full swing! https://t.co/dII3nBSxb6 Sharmistha Mukherjee (@Sharmistha_GK) June 7, 2018 In a Twitter post Sharmishta wrote: "See, this is exactly what I was fearing and warned my father about. Not even few hours have passed, but BJP/RSS dirty tricks department is at work in full swing!" On Thursday, Sharmishtha had cautioned her father that his speech and visuals from the event are likely to misused by the "dirty tricks department of the BJP/RSS". She had said that by accepting the invite to address RSS cadres, Pranab Mukherjee was giving the BJP and the Sangh a handle to plant false stories. She had added that his speech will be forgotten soon but the visuals from the event will be remain and be misused. "Hope @CitiznMukherjee now realises from today's incident, how BJP dirty tricks dept operates. Even RSS wouldn't believe that you are going to endorse its views in your speech. But the speech will be forgotten, visuals will remain and those will be circulated with fake statements," she had said. Hope @CitiznMukherjee now realises from todays incident, how BJP dirty tricks dept operates. Even RSS wouldnt believe that u r going 2 endorse its views in ur speech. But the speech will be forgotten, visuals will remain & those will be circulated with fake statements. 1/2 Sharmistha Mukherjee (@Sharmistha_GK) June 6, 2018 Besides Sharmishta, other Congress leaders had also requested the former president to reconsider his decision to be the chief guest of the RSS event in Nagpur. ALSO READ | In speech to RSS cadres, Pranab Mukherjee warns against dogma, hatred and intolerance ALSO READ | After Pranab Mukherjee's speech to RSS, should Congress ask: Did we jump the gun? ALSO WATCH | Watch Pranab Mukherjee's full speech at RSS event<doc-sep>New Delhi: Pranab Mukherjee's daughter and Congress leader Sharmistha Mukherjee late on Thursday accused the "dirty tricks department" of the BJP-RSS of circulating a morphed picture showing the former president raising his hand in salutation like the RSS leaders and cadre. Sharmistha Mukherjee was vehemently opposed to the former president visiting the RSS headquarters and had publicly urged her father on Twitter to express her disapproval. "See, this is exactly what I was fearing and warned my father about. Not even few hours have passed, but BJP/RSS dirty tricks dept is at work in full swing!" she said, responding to a tweet showing a "morphed" picture of Pranab Mukherjee doing the salutation along with RSS leaders and cadre at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur. See, this is exactly what I was fearing & warned my father about. Not even few hours have passed, but BJP/RSS dirty tricks dept is at work in full swing! https://t.co/dII3nBSxb6— Sharmistha Mukherjee (@Sharmistha_GK) June 7, 2018 Sharmistha had on Wednesday said her father was giving the BJP and the Sangh a handle to plant false stories. Hope @CitiznMukherjee now realises from todays’ incident, how BJP dirty tricks dept operates. Even RSS wouldn’t believe that u r going 2 endorse its views in ur speech. But the speech will be forgotten, visuals will remain & those will be circulated with fake statements. 1/2— Sharmistha Mukherjee (@Sharmistha_GK) June 6, 2018 . @CitiznMukherjee By going 2 Nagpur, u r giving BJP/RSS full handle 2 plant false stories, spread falls rumours as 2day & making it somewhat believable. And this is just d beginning! 2/2— Sharmistha Mukherjee (@Sharmistha_GK) June 6, 2018 The former president's official Twitter handle is @CitiznMukherjee. Her outburst came soon after rumours about her joining the BJP cropped up ahead of Mukherjee's visit to Nagpur. She dismissed such "rumours" of her joining the BJP as "false" and alleged they were the handiwork of BJP's "dirty tricks department". She said she would rather leave politics than quit the Congress.<doc-sep>
The morphed photo (right) of former President Pranab Mukherjee at the RSS event in Nagpur. .@CitiznMukherjee By going 2 Nagpur, u r giving BJP/RSS full handle 2 plant false stories, spread falls rumours as 2day & making it somewhat believable. And this is just d beginning! 2/2 - Sharmistha Mukherjee (@Sharmistha_GK) June 6, 2018 Hours after his speech at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) headquarters in Nagpur, a morphed picture of former President Pranab Mukherjee surfaced on social media. In the photo, Mr Mukherjee is seen raising his hand up to his chest in the RSS way of salutation along with leaders of the organisation. In reality, Mr Mukehrjee had stood in attention. The image prompted his daughter and Congress leader Sharmistha Mukherjee to say that as she had feared and cautioned her father against, the "dirty tricks department" of the BJP-RSS was at work in full swing. "See, this is exactly what I was fearing and warned my father about. Not even few hours have passed, but BJP/RSS dirty tricks dept is at work in full swing!" she said, retweeting a tweet showing the "morphed" picture of Pranab Mukherjee performing the RSS salute along with its leaders in Nagpur Ms Mukherjee had on Thursday said her father was giving the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh a handle to plant false stories. "Hope @CitiznMukherjee now realises from todays' incident, how BJP dirty tricks dept operates. Even RSS wouldn't believe that u r going 2 endorse its views in ur speech. But the speech will be forgotten, visuals will remain & those will be circulated with fake statements," the former President's daughter tweeted.Her warnings came soon after rumours about her joining the BJP came up ahead of Mr Mukherjee's visit to Nagpur. She dismissed the "rumours" of her joining the BJP as "false" and alleged they were the handiwork of the BJP's "dirty tricks department". She said she would rather leave politics than quit the Congress.Earlier on Thursday, Pranab Mukherjee was warmly welcomed at the RSS headquarters, where he paid homage at the memorial of KB Hedgewar, the founder of the RSS. "Today I came here to pay my respect and homage to a great son of Mother India," he wrote in the visitor's book at the memorial.