New Delhi, Jun 23 (KNO): BJP leaders on Tuesday paid tributes to Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his death anniversary and said the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir had fulfilled the vision for which he had sacrificed his life.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to Mookerjee and described him as a distinguished patriot, scholar and statesman who dedicated his life to the country's development.
As per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), in a post on X, Modi said Mookerjee's unwavering conviction, courage in public life and commitment to national interest continue to inspire generations.
The prime minister said Mookerjee's sacrifice remains etched in the collective memory of the nation and reaffirmed the government's commitment to building a strong and developed India guided by the values he cherished.
Mookerjee, a staunch opponent of Article 370, died under detention in Srinagar on June 23, 1953, after being arrested during his campaign against the permit system for entry into Jammu and Kashmir.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said June 23 was an inspiring day for BJP workers as it marked the sacrifice made by Mookerjee for the cause of national unity and the principle of "one nation, one constitution".
Addressing a function in New Delhi, Shah said Mookerjee had opposed the separate constitutional arrangement in Jammu and Kashmir and raised the slogan against having two constitutions, two flags and two prime ministers in one country.
Recalling Mookerjee's campaign, Shah said he had marched from Delhi to Kashmir and refused to seek a permit to enter the region, asserting that Kashmir was an integral part of India.
The home minister said Mookerjee was arrested after refusing to comply with the permit system and later died under suspicious circumstances while in detention in Jammu and Kashmir.
Shah said the abrogation of Article 370 by the Narendra Modi government in August 2019 had realised Mookerjee's dream and completed the mission for which he had struggled.
BJP president Nitin Nabin also paid floral tributes to Mookerjee at the party headquarters in New Delhi and said the removal of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir was a major step towards fulfilling his vision.
Nabin said Mookerjee's sacrifice for the complete integration of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of the country would always be remembered and that the BJP was carrying forward the nationalist ideology he championed.
He said the work being undertaken by the BJP under Prime Minister Modi's leadership to realise Mookerjee's objectives was the true tribute to the Jana Sangh founder.
Several senior BJP leaders attended the tribute programme held on the occasion of Mookerjee's 73rd death anniversary—(KNO)