News

PM Modi Recalls Contribution of Shyama Prasad Mukerjea who Has Impacted Post Independence National Politics

BJP  leaders  and  activists  led by Prime Ministers Narendra  Modi  paid  warm tribute  to Dr  Shyama Prasad Mukherjee (1901 to 1953) on his martyrdom day on Saturday .Dr Mukherjee  was  a statesman , barrister, academician and a judge of Calcutta High Court   before plunging into politics. Kolkata born Dr Mukherjee walked out of the Jawaharlal Nehru’s interim Cabinet as Minister for Industry and Supply and the Indian National Congress protesting against his Kashmir policy. He had struggled for integration of the ex-princely state with India openly declaring there must be one Pradhan, One Bidhan and one Nishan for the entire nation. He died in mysterious circumstance in Srinagar on June 23, 1953. He was the founder of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh, the predecessor of Bharatiya Janata Party, in 1951.The alumni of Kolkata’s prestigious Presidency College and Lincoln’s Inn had the distinction of becoming  the youngest- ever Vice Chancellor of Calcutta University. He is also credited  with foiling  the attempt  of some noted leaders to merge West Bengal with Muslim dominated erstwhile East Pakistan which  has been rechristened as Bangladesh as an Independent nation. He had also headed Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha from 1943 to 1946 and strongly opposed Article 370 providing special status to J K in and outside Parliament. At the age of 33, he became Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta and remained in office for seven years. He was instrumental in inviting noble laureate Rabindranath Tagore for delivering the University’s Convocation Address in Bengali for the first time and introducing Bengal as a subject for the highest examination conducted by India’s oldest university. He was Finance Minister of Bengal from 1941–42 in A.K. Fazlul Haq’s Progressive Coalition government which was formed on 12 December 1941 after the resignation of Muslim League ministers. During his tenure, his statements against the government were censored and his movements were restricted by then British rulers. He was also prevented from visiting flood affected Mindapore district in 1942 even after several persons lost their lives. The natural calamity had also destroyed property and standing crops. He resigned on 20 November 1942 accusing the British government of trying to rule India under at cost and criticised its repressive policies against those who participated in the Quit India Movement. He had not sat idle after resigning from Fazlul Haq led government. He arranged relief and rescue operation with the help of Mahabodhi Society, Ramakrishna Mission, Marwari Relief Society and some other organisations .Dr Mukherjee   was also President of Mahabodhi Society. He had gone to Kashmir and observed hunger strike to protest the law that prohibited Indian citizens from settling within the state and making it mandatory for Indian citizens to carry ID cards. Dr Mukherjee was not given permission. He was arrested on 11 May at Lakhenpur in Kathua district of Jammu & Kashmir .It is the entrance point to the state from Punjab. The ID card  was later revoked owing to his efforts but he passed away as a detainee  at the age of 53 when the nation needed  a leader like him .Post Independence  Bengal had produced two  other great leaders-Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy and Jyoti Basu. But their activities remained confined to their native eastern state. However, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, great visionaries, have impacted national politics beyond their home state. (image : from twitter)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.