Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday paid heartfelt tribute to Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his Balidan Diwas (Martyrdom Day), remembering his courageous efforts to safeguard India’s unity and his enduring role in shaping the nation.
In a post on X, PM Modi wrote: “Tributes to Dr Shyama Prasad Mookerjee on his Balidan Diwas. He displayed incomparable courage and effort to keep the integrity of the country intact. His invaluable contribution to nation building will always be remembered with reverence.”
Dr Mookerjee, the founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh—the ideological forerunner of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)—is hailed as a patriot, educationist, and a fearless leader who played a pivotal role in post-Independence India’s political and intellectual development.
Born on July 6, 1901 in Calcutta, Syama Prasad Mookerjee was the son of renowned jurist and educationist Sir Ashutosh Mookerjee, whose legacy of intellectual brilliance and nationalism deeply influenced him. Dr Mookerjee rose to become the youngest Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University in 1934, where he emphasized Indian language promotion and cultural education.
He entered politics through the Hindu Mahasabha and in 1937, co-founded a Progressive Coalition government in Bengal. He later served as Finance Minister under the leadership of Fazal-ul-Haq. By 1940, he had become the acting President of the Hindu Mahasabha, demanding complete independence for India well before the mainstream Congress leadership did.
After Independence, Dr Mookerjee briefly served as Minister for Industry and Supply in Jawaharlal Nehru’s Cabinet, contributing to India’s industrial foundation by initiating key institutions like the Chittaranjan Locomotive Factory and the Sindri Fertilizer Plant. However, ideological differences led him to resign in 1950, particularly in protest of the Delhi Pact with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan.
On October 21, 1951, Dr Mookerjee founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh to promote nationalist policies and challenge the Congress-dominated political discourse. He was its first president and laid the groundwork for what would later become the BJP.
In 1953, he opposed the concept of separate laws and a separate flag for Jammu and Kashmir and undertook a protest journey to the state without a permit, defying the prevailing rule. He was arrested on May 11 and died in detention on June 23, under circumstances that remain controversial and a matter of public debate to this day.
Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s legacy continues to influence Indian politics, particularly through the BJP’s ideology and its emphasis on national unity, constitutional uniformity, and cultural pride.