Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday paid floral tribute to Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his 125th birth anniversary, honouring his contributions as an educationist, freedom fighter, and a steadfast advocate for India’s unity.
Speaking at an event in Lucknow, CM Yogi lauded Mookerjee’s legacy, recalling how he became the youngest Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University at age 33, and how he selflessly served during the Bengal famine of 1943.
“He was a great educationist and patriot. The country remembers his unwavering service during the Bengal famine. His life was dedicated to national unity,” the Chief Minister said.
CM Yogi also highlighted Mookerjee’s resignation from the Nehru Cabinet in protest against what he described as the government’s “appeasement policies” and the move to grant special status to Jammu and Kashmir. He noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi fulfilled Mookerjee’s vision by bringing Jammu and Kashmir into the national mainstream.
Earlier in the day, tributes were also paid in Delhi, where Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva, and Delhi Mayor Rekha Gupta joined in commemorating Mookerjee’s legacy.
Born on July 6, 1901, in Calcutta, Syama Prasad Mookerjee was a towering figure in Indian public life—an educationist, parliamentarian, humanitarian, and founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the ideological precursor to the BJP. He held several key roles including Finance Minister in Bengal’s provincial government, and later Industry Minister in Jawaharlal Nehru’s interim Cabinet before resigning over the Delhi Pact with Liaquat Ali Khan in 1950.
Mookerjee founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh in October 1951 and became its first president. He was arrested during a visit to Jammu and Kashmir in 1953 and died under detention on June 23, 1953, under mysterious circumstances—his death continues to be a subject of political discussion.
CM Yogi’s tribute reinforced the BJP’s long-standing reverence for Mookerjee’s contributions and his enduring influence on the party’s ideology.