Lucknow, July 6 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath paid rich tribute to Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his birth anniversary and remembered his invaluable contributions to nation-building.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister paid floral tributes at Dr Mookerjee’s statue on Sunday and hailed him as a visionary scholar, a passionate patriot, and a fearless voice for national unity.

He said that Dr Mookerjee, born on July 6, 1901, became the youngest Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University at just 33 years of age and dedicated his life to serving the nation.

“His leadership during the Bengal famine earned him widespread respect, and as the Food and Industry Minister in independent India under Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, he laid the foundation for food self-sufficiency and industrial growth – pillars that continue to shape New India,” CM Yogi said, emphasising his commitment to national unity.

He further stated that Dr Mookerjee resigned from the Nehru cabinet to protest against the appeasement policies of the then regime and strongly opposed the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and the permit system.

The Chief Minister further pointed out that Dr Mookerjee’s vision was fulfilled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who abrogated Article 370, ensuring the complete integration of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of India.

CM Yogi credited Dr Mookerjee, the founding president of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, for laying an ideological foundation for nationalist politics and said that his stirring call for “Ek desh mein do pradhan, do vidhan, do nishan nahi chalenge” (There cannot be two Prime Ministers, two constitutions, and two flags in one nation) brought a transitional shift in the political landscape.

He further said that under PM Modi’s leadership, India has emerged as a global investment hub and is also witnessing the true spirit of ‘Ek Vidhan, Ek Pradhan, Aur Ek Nishan’.

“The industrialisation that Dr Mookerjee once envisioned has now taken a massive form. Even during the global pandemic, India stood strong, providing free ration to 80 crore people, an initiative aligned with the ideals of welfare and self-reliance that Dr Mookerjee stood for,” highlighted the Chief Minister.

–IANS

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