New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid homage to Bharatiya Jan Sangh founder 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.”
In an X post, PM Modi reaffirmed his commitment to building a developed India, calling Syama Prasad Mookerjee an inspiration for generations.
“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,” the Prime Minister wrote.
Jan Sangh was the political predecessor of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the party marks Mookerjee’s death anniversary as ‘Balidan Diwas’ following his demise in Kashmir on June 23, 1953.
He founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh on October 21, 1951. Mookerjee was a tall political figure in pre-independence India and was the Finance Minister in the Progressive Coalition Ministry headed by Fazlul Haq, from which he resigned in less than a year. He also joined the Hindu Mahasabha, but later quit the year Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated.
After independence, former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru inducted him into the Interim Central Government as a Minister for Industry and Supply.
He was a staunch opponent of Article 370 of the Constitution, which was later repealed in 2019 by the BJP government.
Today, Union Minister and Delhi BJP President Harsh Malhotra, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and other Delhi BJP leaders paid floral tribute to Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his death anniversary in the national capital. (ANI)
