Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath
Credit: PTI Photo
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday paid floral tributes to Bharatiya Jana Sangh's founding president Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his birth anniversary, remembering him as a visionary leader who dedicated his life to the unity and integrity of India.
At an event here, he noted that Mookerjee was an exceptional scholar, a powerful orator, and a committed freedom fighter.
“At the young age of 33, he served as the youngest Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University. His contribution to education and national service is remembered even today,” he said in a statement here.
Highlighting Mookerjee’s stand against the "appeasement" policies of the Nehru government, Adityanath recalled his resignation from the first Union Cabinet post-Independence, where he had served as the Minister for Industry and Supply.
“He laid the foundation for food self-sufficiency and industrial development in post-independent India. His resignation was a protest against policies that, he believed, undermined national unity,” Adityanath said.
The chief minister also lauded Mookerjee’s staunch opposition to Article 370 and the permit system in Jammu and Kashmir.
“He was the first to raise his voice against the concept of having two constitutions, two heads, and two flags in one nation. His slogan — 'Ek desh mein do Vidhan, do Pradhan aur do Nishan nahi chalenge' — still resonates across the country,” he added.
He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with fulfilling Mookerjee’s dream by abrogating Article 370, thereby integrating Jammu and Kashmir with the Indian Constitution.
“Today, Jammu and Kashmir is on the path of rapid development, which is a tribute to Dr. Mookerjee’s vision. This has been made possible under the strong leadership of Prime Minister Modi,” he said.
Emphasising India's emergence as a major investment destination globally, he said the seeds of industrialisation planted by Dr. Mookerjee have now flourished into a robust national framework.
“Even during the worst pandemic of the century, India was able to provide free ration to 80 crore people, a testament to the foundation laid by visionaries like Mookerjee,” he stated.
The event was attended by Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Dinesh Sharma and others.