73rd Balidan Diwas of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee: The Man Who Fought for ‘One Nation, One Constitution’
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June 23 marks the 73rd 'Balidan Diwas' of Jana Sangh founder Dr. Syama Prasad Mukerjee. A barrister and an academician, Syama Prasad Mukerjee made significant contributions in the fields of education, politics, society and culture. He served as the Minister for Industry and Supply in Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's cabinet. He was one of those politicians who promoted the idea of nationalism.
He also championed the cause of J&K's complete integration with the Union of India. His death remains a mystery even today. July 6 happens to be Dr. Syama Prasad Mukerjee’s birthday and June 23 is his death anniversary.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his 73rd death anniversary, hailing how future generations have been inspired by his "unwavering conviction and courage in public life and commitment to national interest." He tweeted in this regard:
"On his Balidan Diwas, I pay homage to Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee, a distinguished patriot, scholar and statesman who dedicated his life to India's development. His unwavering conviction, courage in public life and commitment to national interest continue to inspire generations. Dr. Mookerjee's sacrifice remains etched in our collective memory. We reaffirm our commitment to building a strong and developed India, guided by the values he cherished and served till his last breath," Prime Minister Modi wrote in a post on X.
Syama Prasad Mukerjee was born in a Brahmin family on July 6, 1901, in Kolkata. His father, Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee, was a barrister, while his mother Jogmaya Devi was a scholar. Following his family tradition, Syama Prasad Mukerjee went on to study law. By 23, he had already completed his Bachelor of Laws degree.
He was inducted into the Cabinet by then Prime Minister Dr Jawaharlal Nehru and made the Minister for Industry and supply. However, a year later, he resigned from the Cabinet on April 8, 1950 over differences with Nehru on the Delhi pact with Liaquat Ali Khan.
On October 21, 1951, Mukerjee founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh after consultation with MS Golwalkar of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Mukerjee fought for achieving Kashmir's total integration into India and he strongly opposed Article 370, the provision in the Constitution that assigned autonomous status to Jammu & Kashmir. He was vehemently against a rule that required non-Kashmiris to have a permit to visit the erstwhile state. In protest, he raised a strong slogan, "Two flags in one country, two legislations in one country, two heads in one country, unacceptable, unacceptable".
To protest against this, he went to Jammu & Kashmir and was arrested on May 11, 1953. He died under preventive detention on June 23, 1953, at the age of 52. His death remains controversial to this day. He sacrificed his life for the cause of one India and united India.
Mukerjee's resolve became the resolution of the nation. His sacrifice became the vow to abolish Article 370. The 70 year old mission was achieved by the Modi government on August 05, 2019 with the abrogation of article 370.