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Hon’ble Bharatiya Janata Party National President Shri Nitin Nabin addressed a commemorative programme in Jammu today, Monday, organised to mark the 125th birth anniversary of the revered Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee. Describing Dr. Mookerjee as a symbol of nationalism, national unity, and sacrifice, Shri Nitin Nabin said that Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi fulfilled his vision of “Ek Desh Ek Vidhaan Ek Pradhaan Aur Ek Nishan” by abrogating Articles 370 and 35A. The BJP National President accused the Congress of having subjected Jammu and Kashmir to injustice and appeasement politics, and said that the BJP government has brought about transformative change in the Union Territory through enhanced security, development, tourism, sports, infrastructure, and public welfare initiatives. Shri Nabin called upon party workers to strengthen public outreach, reinforce the organisation, and dedicate themselves to the cause of national interest in order to realise the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047. The programme was attended by Jammu and Kashmir BJP State President Shri Sat Sharma, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, BJP National General Secretary Shri Tarun Chugh, Leader of the Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Shri Sunil Sharma, along with other senior leaders.
Shri Nitin Nabin said that the day was a special occasion for everyone. Shri Nabin stated that revered Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Ji had remained a source of inspiration for all as a guiding force and pathfinder. As everyone had gathered to commemorate the 125th birth anniversary of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Ji, he extended his salutations and greetings to all the party karyakartas present, as well as to the large number of karyakartas seated in the gathering. Shri Nitin Nabin stated that every karyakarta of the Bharatiya Janata Party, whether serving at the grassroots level or on the stage, was equally important. BJP derived its strength from those dedicated karyakartas who, while working at the last booth and the last organisational level, remained committed to ensuring that the BJP’s lotus symbol continued to bloom. The day was special not only for all party karyakartas but also for the entire Jammu and Kashmir, adding that he was aware of the enthusiasm with which people across the region celebrated the occasion in different ways. Shri Nabin stated that the day marked the birth anniversary of revered Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Ji, who had sacrificed his life while struggling for Jammu and Kashmir, said that the occasion should be observed by remembering his sacrifices and struggles. If anyone had worked to realise the vision that Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Ji had envisioned for Jammu and Kashmir, it was the dedicated karyakartas of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
The BJP National President stated that the vision of “Ek Desh, Ek Vidhan, Ek Pradhan Aur Ek Nishan” envisioned by revered Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Ji was realised by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji. The pages of history contained many stories and that everyone carried their own memories. Recalling his own experience, he said that in 2011, during the National Integration Yatra, he had the opportunity to hoist the Tricolour in Jammu and Kashmir along with the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha team. Shri Nabin stated that at the time he was serving as the National General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, while Shri Anurag Thakur was its National President. They had resolved to undertake the journey from the place where revered Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Ji was born to the place where he made the supreme sacrifice in Kashmir. When the yatra commenced in 2011, Congress governments across the country became uneasy, and Congress leaders were deeply rattled because they feared that the yatra would carry a powerful message for Jammu and Kashmir. Shri Nabin recalled that on 22 January 2011, he had travelled to Kashmir along with the party’s Office Secretary Shri Mahesh Ji and Shri Ganga Prasad Ji, where he informed the administration that they intended to hoist the Tricolour at Lal Chowk along with Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha karyakartas. The present generation, especially the people of Jammu and Kashmir, had the right to know about this chapter of history.
Shri Nabin said that when revered Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Ji sacrificed his life in 1953, we were not present at that time. Later, we came to know about his struggles and also saw the reality of the resolve and dream he had taken seventy years ago. In 2011, when we, as Karyakartas of the Youth Wing, went to meet the local administrative officials, we were told that if the Tricolor was hoisted at Lal Chowk in Kashmir, peace in the valley would be disturbed. That was a time when Congress was in power in Delhi and its leaders were in government. When we returned, we saw that at the same Lal Chowk in Kashmir, Pakistan’s flag was flying, while Congress was ruling in Delhi. I am mentioning this today because people ask what has changed. The truth is, much has changed in today’s India. Those who lack the vision to see this transformed India are the ones who fail to recognize it. In 2014, when Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji became the Prime Minister, the same Lal Chowk in Kashmir began to proudly display the Tricolor. This is proof of the changed atmosphere in Jammu & Kashmir.
Shri Nabin asserted that in 2011, the government here and the Congress government in Delhi used all their strength to stop us from hoisting the Tricolor. At that time, if anyone carried the Indian Tricolor to Kashmir, their bags were checked at the airport with suspicion, fearing that they might be carrying the national flag, as it was claimed that such an act would disturb peace in the valley. During that period, bundles of newspapers published from Jammu were used to secretly carry the Tricolor into Kashmir. That was the time when Congress ruled both in Delhi and in the state. In 2019, when Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji abolished Article 370 and Article 35A, the people of Jammu & Kashmir attained true freedom. The dream of revered Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Ji was fulfilled by the successful leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji. This was the moment when the resolve of every BJP Karyakartas was realized.
The BJP National President said that today, as everyone remembers the sacrifice of revered Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Ji, it is worth recalling that earlier, former BJP National President Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi Ji had also undertaken a yatra and struggled for the cause. At that time, Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji participated in that yatra as a general secretary and a Karyakarta. He too had resolved that the Tricolor must once again proudly wave in the valleys of Kashmir and across Jammu & Kashmir. Today, it gives us immense joy that while the nation celebrates the 125th birth anniversary of Dr. Mookerjee, the Tricolor is proudly flying at his birthplace, and the BJP’s saffron flag is advancing in West Bengal as a symbol of victory. Despite the struggles in West Bengal and despite claims that BJP was an “outsider’s party,” the birthplace of the party’s founding member, Kolkata has also embraced the saffron flag. Today, the BJP’s lotus symbol is advancing strongly there, setting new benchmarks of development.
Shri Nabin stated that the people of Jammu & Kashmir too have endured immense struggle. He has personally witnessed the hardships of the Karyakartas. Today, we bow to those struggles as well. From the valleys of Kashmir to Jammu, BJP Karyakartas have persevered with long struggle and hard work. We are proud that the dream and struggle carried forward by the Karyakartas has been realized by our leader and Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji. When we look at the misdeeds and failures of Congress, it becomes clear that if BJP had not been in power in Delhi, the youth of Jammu & Kashmir would still be known as stone‑pelters rather than Ranji Trophy winners. Today, the youth of India are being celebrated across the nation, and India’s youth are earning respect worldwide. I remember the time before 2014, when Kashmiri youth were labeled as stone‑pelters. We felt immense joy when the youth of Jammu & Kashmir showcased their talent on the cricket field and brought honor to the region as Ranji Trophy winners. This is the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, who has promoted sports not only to encourage talent but also to advance peace and harmony through them.
Shri Nabin said that on the 125th birth anniversary of revered Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Ji, the youth should continue to draw inspiration from his life. At the young age of just 33, Dr. Mookerjee became the Vice‑Chancellor of Calcutta University. In 1937, when Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore addressed the university in Bengali instead of English for the first time, it was possible because Dr. Mookerjee was the Vice‑Chancellor at that time. Honoring one’s mother tongue and motherland was always part of Dr. Mookerjee’s resolve. When the country’s first government was formed and he was entrusted with the responsibility as India’s first Industry Minister, he gave a new direction to industrial development. It is noteworthy that he took the initiative in establishing industries such as the Chittaranjan Locomotive Factory, the Sindri Fertilizer Plant, and the Hindustan Aircraft Factory. Even in the 1950s, his vision was that industrial progress should go hand in hand with preserving heritage and culture. Today, Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji constantly speaks of Make in India and is advancing it. The idea behind Make in India was first envisioned by Dr. Mookerjee in his 1948 statement.
The BJP National President asserted that this country was blessed with great thinkers like Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Ji, who envisioned “Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.” If anyone saved West Bengal, it was Dr. Mookerjee, otherwise Congress leaders at that time were working to merge West Bengal with East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). While everyone today remembers his struggle and sacrifice, they must also take inspiration and resolve to decide the future direction of Jammu & Kashmir. The BJP has consistently received support and blessings from the people of Jammu, but it is also true that the phase of struggle and resolve in Jammu & Kashmir is not yet over. Under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, the entire nation is setting new benchmarks of development. As a result, 250 million people have been lifted out of poverty, including many families from Jammu & Kashmir.
Shri Nitin Nabin said that at one time, because of Article 370, a system had been created in which the people of Jammu & Kashmir were not benefitting and were deprived of development. But Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji has established many new benchmarks of progress, and today Jammu & Kashmir too is moving forward as one of the leading states in terms of development. The Bharatiya Janata Party wants the mothers and sisters of Jammu & Kashmir to live safe, orderly lives and advance with dignity. The party also wants the youth of Jammu & Kashmir not only to seek jobs but also to become providers of employment. Today, we call upon the youth to unite in protecting the soil of Jammu & Kashmir and to realize the dream envisioned by revered Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Ji. Every young person must learn from Dr. Mookerjee’s sacrifice and his lifelong struggle. The way he fought for the national interest during his lifetime remains a source of inspiration for future generations.
Shri Nitin Nabin asserted that Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji had put in place a system under which every rupee sent from Delhi now reached the bank accounts of the poor in full. Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji had ensured the direct transfer of more than ₹91 lakh crore to the bank accounts of beneficiaries through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism. Earlier, poor families were referred to only in political rhetoric, whereas Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji had said that the country now recognised only four categories, the poor, youth, farmers, and women. The work carried out to empower these four sections had been unprecedented. Shri Nitin Nabin stated that initiatives such as the resolve to create three crore Lakhpati Didis, the Ayushman Bharat Scheme, and the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, through which housing was being provided to the poor, clearly demonstrated that the Modi Government’s objective was to ensure that the benefits of development reached the last person.
The BJP National President said that when Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji first became Prime Minister and Diwali arrived, he celebrated the festival with soldiers in the valleys of Kashmir. This is worth mentioning because earlier leaders ran the government from Delhi and remained confined there, whereas today Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji cares about the development of every state and personally advances development projects across the country. There was a time when the northeastern states were spoken of in a very different way. Just as Jammu & Kashmir is moving forward on new parameters of development under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi Ji, the northeastern states too are steadily advancing on the path of progress. The BJP does not limit development to the nation’s capital but ensures that schemes reach the last person. Earlier, governments used to call border villages the “last villages” of the country and showed little concern for their development or security. But Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji completely changed this mindset. Today, villages on the nation’s borders are not the last but the first villages, and their development and security are the country’s foremost responsibility. This message gives new strength to the people living in border villages and assures them that the Prime Minister in Delhi cares for the last person and the last village. This change did not come automatically; it was achieved through the long struggle of Karyakartas and citizens, and through the blessings given by the people to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji.
Shri Nabin stated that in 2012 and 2013, governments were in power but the people of the country saw India only as a place of chaos and corruption. When we traveled to different parts of the country, discussions were less about development and more about corruption and disorder. Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji clearly stated that if the country is to talk about development, then a policy of zero tolerance toward corruption must be adopted. Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji also linked Jammu & Kashmir to development parameters, which greatly benefited poor families here. Today, through social security schemes, more than 950 million people are directly receiving the benefits of Prime Minister Modi Ji’s welfare programs. At one time, the country had about 91,000 kilometers of national highways, which have now increased to nearly 150,000 kilometers. Earlier, India had only 74 airports, but today the number has risen to 160. In mobile manufacturing too, India has now reached the second position globally. Once India was called merely a country of manpower, where people were seen only as human resources. But Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji has changed this perception. Today, India is emerging not just as a source of manpower but as a hub of manufacturing power.
Shri Nitin Nabin said that they had come to assure the people of Jammu and Kashmir that the government in Delhi remained fully committed to the development of the region. The policies of the present government in Jammu and Kashmir continued to be based on double standards and that its approach towards Jammu and Kashmir remained different. Every karyakarta of the Bharatiya Janata Party worked with inspiration drawn from revered Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Ji. Shri Nitin Nabin expressed confidence that, if not today then certainly tomorrow, the BJP’s lotus would bloom in the valleys of Kashmir and that the Bharatiya Janata Party would emerge even stronger across Jammu and Kashmir. The struggle was still continuing, but the BJP had never viewed development through the lens of religion. The party had always believed that every poor person was a citizen of India and that it was the government’s responsibility to ensure their development. Shri Nabin stated that efforts had been made to bring every individual into the fold of development. Referring to the abolition of the practice of triple talaq, Shri Nitin Nabin said that its objective had been to provide Muslim women with a life of dignity, self-reliance, and security. Shri Nabin said that the country still had many major goals to achieve. Given the circumstances being created at present and the kind of system that was being sought to be established, he said that the Bharatiya Janata Party believed the next 20 years would also be years of struggle for its karyakartas. If the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047 was to be realised and a developed India was to be built, the Bharatiya Janata Party would also have to be strengthened with the same determination.
The BJP National President said that the party’s senior leaders of the past expanded the Bharatiya Janata Party through their struggle, sacrifice, and hard work. Now the present generation must also undertake its own struggle. To strengthen the BJP further, Karyakartas must establish direct dialogue with the people. Only then can the party stand even stronger by 2047 and realize the resolve of a Viksit Bharat. Alongside a developed India, Jammu & Kashmir too will become Viksit Jammu & Kashmir by 2047. The BJP has worked by winning the hearts of the people and connecting with them, which is why the party has achieved continuous success in different states. All BJP Karyakartas must continue their struggle, maintain dialogue with the people, and keep their resolve to deliver central government schemes to every citizen. The day is not far when the BJP will form its own government in Jammu & Kashmir. Earlier, people were afraid to come to Jammu & Kashmir. But whenever the opportunity arose, Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji fulfilled his foremost responsibility of ensuring Jammu & Kashmir’s security. Some time ago, terrorists tried to dishonor our mothers and sisters by attacking their dignity. In response, Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji made it clear that this is not the old India. This is the new India, which gives a fitting reply to anyone who attacks the honor of its mothers and sisters. Through Operation Sindoor, India made Pakistan realize its limits and gave it a strong response.
Shri Nabin stated that for us, the security of every citizen is the highest priority. Whenever attempts were made against the country with malicious intent, the government led by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji in Delhi gave a strong reply. During the Jana Sangh era, revered Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Ji lit a lamp of development, trust, and inclusiveness. Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji is working on the same guiding principle of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, and Sabka Prayas.” We want to clearly call upon the people of Jammu & Kashmir that under Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji’s leadership, the BJP is fully committed to the security, development, and heritage of Jammu & Kashmir. The BJP considers Jammu & Kashmir an integral part of India, and this cannot be changed. Recently, some Congress leaders made statements on this issue, but those days of Congress will not return. Article 370 has been abolished permanently in Jammu & Kashmir, and no attempt to revive it can succeed. Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah Ji has also clearly stated that Jammu & Kashmir is an inseparable part of India, and if even a single drop of blood must be shed for its defense, we will not step back.
Shri Nitin Nabin asserted that today, large numbers of tourists from different parts of the country are visiting the valleys of Jammu & Kashmir. This has given new momentum to the tourism industry here and boosted people’s morale. With the growth of tourism, new employment opportunities are being created for the youth of Jammu & Kashmir. Tourism today is a major industry, and its greatest strength is the security of the people. This industry strengthens the economies of many states and is also bringing prosperity to the people of Jammu & Kashmir. On the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of revered Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Ji, the large gathering of people is truly inspiring. All BJP Karyakartas must take a pledge on Dr. Mookerjee’s birth anniversary, the same faith with which he founded the Jana Sangh will be carried forward. Party leaders are advancing the vision of “Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat,” realizing Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Ji’s dream of Antyodaya, and carrying forward revered Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji’s model of good governance. Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji is embodying all three guiding principles: unity, upliftment of the last person, and good governance and is leading the nation toward the dream of a Viksit Bharat by 2047. This dream will fulfill the vision of revered Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Ji.