Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath paid tribute to the founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh on Monday on the death anniversary of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.
The Chief Minister described Mukherjee as ‘the great son of Bharat Mata’, a visionary leader and a staunch nationalist who sacrificed his life for unbroken India.
Adityanath participated in a wreath program held in Lucknow on the occasion of the ‘sacrifice day’ of the Sangh’s thinker Mukherjee.
He was accompanied by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state unit president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary, Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, senior leader Dinesh Sharma and Cabinet Minister Swatantra Dev Singh.
Adityanath said, ‘Today is the death anniversary of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, the founder president of Bharatiya Jana Sangh and the great son of Bharat Mata. On this day in the year 1953, he sacrificed his life for national unity.
The Chief Minister referred to his role in shaping the country’s industrial and food policy as a cabinet minister in independent India, describing Mukherjee as a ‘visionary freedom fighter, educationist and nation creator’.
Adityanath claimed that Mukherjee had resigned from the Jawaharlal Nehru cabinet, opposing the efforts to compromise national integrity on the issue of Kashmir.
The Chief Minister said that Mukherjee had strongly opposed Article 370 and permit system in Jammu and Kashmir at that time.
He said, ‘When the Constitution came into force in 1950 and after the 1952 elections, Article 370 was implemented, Mukherjee raised his voice and spoke of’ one nation, a leader, a law. Mukherjee was arrested while entering Kashmir without a permit and died in custody on 23 June 1953. ”
The Chief Minister said, ‘It took 65-66 years to realize their dreams of integrated India. Finally, Article 370 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was canceled on August 5, 2019.
He said, “Jammu and Kashmir is now associated with the constitutional values of India and one India is realizing the outlook of India.”
Shyama Prasad Mukherjee was born on 6 July 1901. He was a barrister and educationist. He became the youngest Vice Chancellor of the University of Calcutta at the age of 33. He served as the Finance Minister of Bengal for some time and later in the Nehru Cabinet as Industry and Supplies Minister, resigning from his post in 1950 due to Delhi Agreement.
He then founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh on 21 October 1951 and became the first president. In 1952, he reached Parliament. He died under suspicious circumstances on June 23, 1953 during a protests in Kashmir during a protest.
