President completes one year in office next week

As he completes a year on July 25, President Pranab Mukherjee has constantly reminded those around him that he is defined in his role to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution.

NEW DELHI: In December 2012, when young boys and girls incensed by the Nirbhaya gang-rape chanted anti-establishment slogans and demanded to meet the President, the government found itself in a dilemma on how to diffuse the tension. 

But President Pranab Mukherjee wasn't too ruffled. A keen understanding of the Constitution and years of experience in dealing with tough situations helped him figure out what needed to be done. 

Sources familiar with events said the President spoke to PM Manmohan Singh and within hours, both the PM and home minister Sushil Shinde issued statements condemning the crime and appealing for calm. 

The decision augured well for the government even as Mukherjee stayed away from the spotlight as he felt a constitutional head of state ought to. He chose instead to air his concerns over the "moral compass" of society and the need for gender sensitivity on subsequent occasions. 

The crisis that saw a popular "takeover" of Vijay Chowk is just one instance of how the President has interpreted his role in Rashtrapati Bhavan. 

As he completes a year on July 25, Mukherjee has constantly reminded those around him that he is defined in his role to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. 

How this has shaped his choices can be seen in quick decisions taken on pending mercy petitions. Not only did he dispose of the two cases — 26/11 convict Ajmal Kasab and Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru — that had been weighing the government down but moved to reduce pendency of mercy pleas. He has so far rejected mercy petitions of 14 convicts, more than the last two presidents put together. 

Mukherjee has also chosen to chip away at some of the colonial baggage, dropping honorific titles like 'His Excellency' to address him and minimizing protocol and security restrictions while interacting with invitees. He has already visited 23 states in a rare outreach effort and continues to meet regularly with leaders across the political spectrum for a below-the-radar tete-a-tete. 

The President's residence, spread over 300 acres with 340 rooms, has been opened to the public like never before. Rashtrapati Bhavan tours can be availed of by the public three days a week with an online booking system that includes access to the 'Change of Guard' ceremony too. 

Other initiatives include a conservation master plan to preserve and maintain Rashtrapati Bhavan and refurbishing its library and museums.