Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee one of modern India’s rare leaders who embodied intellect, scholarship and sacrifice: Malhotra

Delhi BJP president Harsh Malhotra on Monday, while remembering Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, said that he was one of modern India’s rare leaders who embodied intellect, scholarship and sacrifice.

Malhotra said that Dr Mookerjee, who was born on July 6, 1901, into the distinguished Mookerjee family of Kolkata, was inspired by his father, Ashutosh Mookerjee, popularly known as the “Tiger of Bengal”, who dedicated his life to the cause of education.

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He was addressing an event organised to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Dr Mookerjee, during which the Delhi BJP held a youth conclave and a memorial lecture series in his honour.

According to Malhotra, Dr Mookerjee became a member of the Senate of the University of Calcutta at the age of 24 and, at 33, became its Vice-Chancellor—the youngest in India at the time.

The Delhi BJP chief traced Dr Mookerjee’s political journey, highlighting his election to the Bengal Legislative Assembly in 1937, his association with the Hindu Mahasabha in 1941, and his leadership in opposing communal politics in Bengal.

He noted that Dr Mookerjee joined independent India’s first Union Cabinet as the Minister for Industry and Supply but resigned on April 6, 1950, in protest against the Nehru-Liaquat Pact, arguing that it failed to guarantee the safety of Hindus in East Pakistan.

Recalling a widely quoted anecdote, Malhotra said that when Jawaharlal Nehru urged him to reconsider his resignation, Dr Mookerjee reportedly replied, “Nehru ji, I can give up the office of a minister, but not my duty towards the nation.”

He further highlighted that on October 21, 1951, Dr Mookerjee founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh in Delhi on the ideals of cultural nationalism, unity, integrity and self-reliance, and appointed Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya as its General Secretary.

Speaking about Jammu and Kashmir, Malhotra said that Dr Mookerjee strongly opposed the concept of “two constitutions, two heads and two flags” within one nation and regarded Article 370 as temporary and detrimental to national unity.

He recalled that in May 1953, Dr Mookerjee entered Jammu and Kashmir without obtaining a permit, was arrested after crossing the border, and was detained in Srinagar, where he passed away on June 23, 1953.

While the circumstances surrounding his death remain a matter of debate, Malhotra said, his sacrifice inspired generations of nationalists.

Addressing the gathering, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said it was particularly encouraging to see so many young people participating in the event, noting that Dr Mookerjee continues to inspire generations even 125 years after his birth.

She said that after Independence, Dr Mookerjee played a decisive role in shaping the vision of how a free India should function.

Gupta said that Dr Mookerjee resigned from the Union Cabinet because he disagreed with the government’s approach towards Jammu and Kashmir and firmly believed that the region was an integral part of India.

She further stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi fulfilled Dr Mookerjee’s vision by abrogating Article 370 in 2019.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari highlighted Dr Mookerjee’s contributions to education, industry and national development, while noting that he resigned from the Union Cabinet over issues of national importance.

Gadkari said that nationalism remains the soul of the nation and that the BJP continues to draw inspiration from the ideals of Dr Mookerjee, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya and Atal Bihari Vajpayee while working towards the goals of Antyodaya, good governance and inclusive development.