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Bharatiya Janata Party’s Former National President and Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda addressed the commemorative programme organised on Monday in Ambala, Haryana, to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Revered Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee. Shri Nadda paid tribute to Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee as the founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, a staunch nationalist, a visionary educationist, and the architect of the vision of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat. The Union Minister said that Dr. Mookerjee’s ideals and resolve have been realised under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji. Shri Nadda described the abrogation of Article 370, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Aatmanirbhar Bharat, the National Education Policy, and industrial development as extensions of Dr. Mookerjee’s vision. Haryana Chief Minister Shri Nayab Singh Saini, Haryana BJP State President Dr. Archana Gupta Ji, former Member of Parliament Dr. Sudha Yadav, and other senior leaders were present on the dais during the programme.
Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda said that he considered himself fortunate to have the opportunity to visit the sacred land of Ambala in Haryana on the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of Revered Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee. Shri Nadda paid his respects to this land, which is regarded as the land of the Gita from both cultural and religious perspectives, noting that it has been closely associated with India’s freedom struggle, has been the karmabhoomi of the nation’s brave heroes, and has brought glory to the country through Haryana’s achievements in sports. All those present had gathered to reflect on the life, legacy, and inspiration of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee so that everyone could once again draw inspiration from him and resolve to dedicate their lives to the nation. Shri Nadda stated that Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s contributions are not merely a part of history but represent a way of life, as he dedicated his entire life to the vision of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat. He said that Dr. Mookerjee was the founding President of the party to which they all belong and established the Bharatiya Jana Sangh on 21 October 1951 based on this ideology. Shri Nadda added that it is a matter of great satisfaction that the sapling whose roots Dr. Mookerjee nurtured and helped grow has, under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, emerged as the world’s largest political party. Today, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the NDA govern nearly 78 percent of the country’s population, while the BJP-led NDA’s lotus symbol flies across approximately 72 percent of India’s geographical area.
Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda stated that when he described Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee as an idea, he meant that Dr. Mookerjee embodied a vision dedicated to India’s cultural heritage, an Aatmanirbhar Bharat, and the nation’s unity and integrity. Every member and karyakarta of the party should take pride in the fact that its founding President and founder, who established the party, came from an extraordinary family and possessed an exceptional legacy, the values of which continue to be deeply embedded in the Bharatiya Janata Party. Shri Nadda said that it would be a matter of surprise, happiness, and pride for everyone to know that Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee was not born into an ordinary family but was the son of Dr. Ashutosh Mookerjee. He said that Dr. Ashutosh Mookerjee had served as the Acting Chief Justice and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta. As Vice-Chancellor, he had firmly told the British administration that there should be no difference in the salaries and facilities provided to British and Indian professors, thereby sowing the seeds of Indian nationalism. He also advocated the promotion and advancement of Indian languages at the University of Calcutta. Shri Nadda stated that the son of such a distinguished father went on to become the Vice-Chancellor of the same university at the age of just 33, making Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee the youngest Vice-Chancellor in its history.
Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda said that in 1934, Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee invited Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore to deliver the Convocation Address at the University of Calcutta for the first time. Rabindranath Tagore delivered the address in his mother tongue, Bengali, marking the beginning of a significant change. Shri Nadda stated that Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee was elected to the Legislative Assembly three times and also served as the Finance Minister of West Bengal. Shri Nadda said that one lesson everyone should always remember about Dr. Mookerjee is that he never attached importance to office but always placed ideology above position. Whenever he had to choose between his principles and his office, he chose to relinquish the position and stand firmly by his convictions. Shri Nadda stated that when West and East Bengal were still undivided, the government led by Hussain Suhrawardy had planned that the entire province of Bengal would become part of Pakistan at the time of Partition. Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee launched a mass movement and declared that he would never allow this to happen. Shri Nadda asserted that present-day West Bengal is the result of Dr. Mookerjee’s efforts and that, had he not intervened, the Congress had accepted that the whole of Bengal would have become part of East Pakistan. Quoting Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee, Shri Nadda said: “When preparations are being made to turn the 45 percent Hindus of Bengal into slaves of the Muslim League, it is our duty to demand a land where we can live with dignity. I want to ask the Congress, and particularly Nehru, whether you did not accept the partition of Bombay and Sindh to appease the Muslim League?”
The former BJP President asked, Did you not accept the partition of Mumbai and Sindh to appease and please the Muslim League? In that case, if today we are speaking about Bengal, there is nothing wrong in it. The Bengal that is today called West Bengal exists because Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee clearly stated that the western part of Bengal, where Hindus are in majority, must remain a part of India. That is why West Bengal was created. Today’s West Bengal is his gift. It is also a matter of joy that on the occasion of his 125th birth anniversary, under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, the lotus has bloomed in that very West Bengal. Perhaps no greater tribute could be given than the people of West Bengal forming a BJP government there. Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s industrial policy was visionary, and he was a skilled administrator. He was also a great educationist. He became Vice‑Chancellor and made significant contributions to the development of Calcutta University. He became a legislator, a minister, but never compromised on his principles, and resigned from positions whenever necessary. In 1947, when Pandit Nehru included him in the central cabinet and made him a minister, within a year he presented the country’s industrial policy. Today, Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji is working tirelessly to build a self‑reliant India, but its foundation was laid by Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee as early as 1948.
Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda asserted that within just two or three years, in 1950, Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee resigned. Within only three years of independence, he had laid the foundation of important projects such as Chittaranjan Locomotive, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in Bengaluru, Sindri Fertilizer, Damodar Valley Corporation, Hirakud Dam, and Bhilai Steel Plant. This was his foresight, and he was a capable administrator. In 1950–51, when an agreement was made between Liaquat Ali and Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee clearly said, “You are doing wrong.” He also declared in Parliament, “This is not democracy, but dictatorship. You are doing wrong, and we will not allow this.” According to the Nehru‑Liaquat agreement, Hindus living in then East Pakistan were supposed to have the right to live with dignity, but during Liaquat Ali’s time this agreement was completely violated. Angered by this, Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee resigned from Jawaharlal Nehru’s cabinet. Similarly, on the issue of Article 370, when Jawaharlal Nehru wanted to implement it, Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee opposed it, saying, “This is your policy of appeasement. It will not strengthen the country. I resign from your cabinet.” After this, he left the council of ministers. There was a need for a strong opposition against the Congress Party, and with this objective Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh. In the 1952 elections, only three MPs of the Jana Sangh were elected, including Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee himself from South Calcutta. Despite having only three MPs, he brought together 33 MPs to form the National Democratic Party and began his work by uniting the opposition.
The Union Minister said that Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee had given the call, “Ek desh mein do Vidhan, do Pradhan, do Nishan nahin chalenge” (One nation cannot have two Constitutions, two Prime Ministers, and two flags). During his visit to Jammu, Dr. Mookerjee had declared, “People of Jammu, I assure you that I will secure one Constitution for you, and if I fail to do so, I will lay down my life.” The Union Minister said that everyone knows how Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee began his journey for this cause. While everyone had gathered in Ambala, it was also in Ambala that Dr. Mookerjee had arrived and commenced his journey. After addressing public meetings in Sonipat, Panipat, Karnal, Nilokheri, Shahbad, and several other places, Dr. Mookerjee proceeded towards Jammu and Kashmir, a journey that ultimately became his last. Shri Nadda stated that from the establishment of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh in 1951 until Dr. Mookerjee’s sacrifice in 1953, and for decades thereafter, the slogan, “Jahan balidan hue Mookerjee, woh Kashmir hamara hai aur woh Kashmir saare ka saara hai” (The Kashmir where Mookerjee made the supreme sacrifice belongs entirely to us), continued to resonate. Shri Nadda stated that across four generations, the call of “Ek desh mein do Nishan, do Pradhan aur do Samvidhan nahin chalenge” continued to echo. The Union Minister asserted that on 5 August 2019, the resolve of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji led to the abrogation of Article 370, after which the principle of one flag, one Constitution, one head of government, and one legal framework came into effect in Jammu and Kashmir.
Shri Nadda asserted that the objectives for which Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Ji sacrificed his life have been fulfilled in letter and spirit by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji. Dr. Mookerjee believed that there should be no religious persecution in East Pakistan, but at that time Congress remained silent and continued its policy of appeasement. Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji brought the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Under this, people who came to India from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan due to religious persecution were granted the right to citizenship, thereby fulfilling Dr. Mookerjee’s dream. Similarly, the foundation of self‑reliant India laid by Dr. Mookerjee has been realized through initiatives like Make in India, the PLI scheme, defense manufacturing, and semiconductor production. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited was established by Dr. Mookerjee, and today, under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, aircraft for the defense sector are being manufactured there. In this way, India is continuously transforming and progressing. Dr. Mookerjee also believed that education should be imparted in Indian languages. Today, through the National Education Policy 2020, Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji has implemented education in the mother tongue. Dr. Mookerjee believed that education should be available, affordable, accessible, and flexible. All these objectives have also been fulfilled by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji through the new education policy. He said, “Look at everyone equally, do not discriminate against anyone.” From the time of Jawaharlal Nehru to Indira Gandhi and Manmohan Singh, Congress always followed the path of appeasement. The irregularities in the Waqf Board have also been corrected by the Modi government by changing the rules and ensuring equality under the law for all.
The former BJP President stated that today, as we remember Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Ji, we feel satisfaction in two ways. First, all the objectives for which he sacrificed his life have been implemented in full by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji. Second, the inspiration of “Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat” that he gave is being realized by every BJP Karyakarta, dedicating themselves fully to advancing the resolve of a developed India. This resolve is visibly being fulfilled today. Speaking of Haryana, in the past 12 years the state has made a great leap in development. On the path to a developed India, Haryana too is moving forward rapidly. In the last 12 years, about 1,300 kilometers of national highways have been constructed in Haryana. The 800‑megawatt capacity Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram Thermal Power Station built at Yamunanagar at a cost of about ₹8,469 crore has been dedicated to the people of Haryana by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji. The Rewari bypass, constructed at a cost of about ₹1,070 crore, has also been dedicated. In Gurugram, Haryana, about 112 national highway projects worth nearly ₹1 lakh crore have been undertaken in the past 12 years. Along with this, the Dwarka Expressway, about 19 kilometers long, has been built in the Haryana section at a cost of about ₹4,100 crore. In the fields of roads, railways, and other infrastructure, Haryana has developed rapidly, and Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji has played a major role in this development.
Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda asserted that today the world’s largest Maruti Suzuki factory is being set up in Kharkhoda, Haryana, at a cost of about ₹35,000 crore. This plant will produce nearly one million cars every year. Haryana has also developed an extensive road network, as he has repeatedly mentioned. Approval of about ₹5,938 crore has been granted for the construction of the third and fourth rail line project between Delhi and Ambala. In this way, Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji has rapidly advanced the necessary initiatives to enable self‑reliant Haryana to play its role in building an Atamanirbhar Bharat. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Nayab Singh Saini Ji, Haryana too is moving forward continuously and swiftly on the path of development. Today, Haryana is a state where minimum support price (MSP) is given for every agricultural produce. This is a unique achievement of Haryana. To ensure procurement of all crops, Haryana has moved ahead in providing MSP for every crop.
The Union Minister said that our long‑time colleagues present here have witnessed the rule of INLD, the rule of Congress, and also the period when leaders had to spend years in jail due to recruitment scams. Since the BJP government came to power in the state, first under the leadership of Shri Manohar Lal Ji and now under Shri Nayab Singh Saini Ji, governance has been based on the principle of “No bribes, no favoritism.” Even so, about 35,000 people have been given C‑grade jobs, and progress continues in this manner. Under the Deendayal Lado Lakshmi Yojana, every eligible woman is being given ₹2,100. Under the Har Ghar, Har Grihini Yojana, LPG gas cylinders are being provided. Even the small state of Haryana has been given an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Rewari at a cost of about ₹1,100 crore by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, and its construction is underway. The country’s largest AIIMS Cancer Centre has been established in Jhajjar. Haryana has been given seven new medical colleges, and super specialty blocks have also been set up. Ambala too has been provided with a cancer care hospital and a separate hospital for cancer treatment. Thus, a new wave of development has flowed in every respect and continues to move forward.
Shri Nadda stated that today, as we remember Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Ji, we should feel proud that he was our founder, who gave direction to the nation and also provided a clear path to the party. It is also a matter of pride for us that today, under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, not only the party but the entire country is moving forward on the path he showed. On the 125th birth anniversary of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Ji, this can be the truest tribute to him, and efforts have been made in that direction. Today is a day to take the pledge that the work Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Ji expected from the people of the country, and for which he sacrificed his life, we dedicate ourselves to making it our life’s resolution. At the call of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, no effort should be spared in building a self‑reliant and developed India, and every moment, every day, and every instant should be devoted to this cause. This will be the true tribute to Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Ji.