PM Modi Honours Syama Prasad Mookerjee on 125th Birth Anniversary
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has paid a heartfelt tribute to Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his 125th birth anniversary, describing him as a timeless symbol of courage and selfless service to Maa Bharti. In a detailed reflection, Modi underscored that the one ideal defining Mookerjee's public life above all else was the indivisibility of India.
Born into a privileged family as the son of Sir Ashutosh Mookerjee, a leading educationist, Syama Prasad chose a path of sacrifice. He did not remain a silent witness to colonialism, communalism, or humanitarian crises. Personal tragedies, including the loss of an infant child and later his wife, only deepened his resolve to serve the nation.
Unwavering Stand on India's Indivisibility
Mookerjee stood firm during the Partition to ensure West Bengal remained part of India. Later, his conviction drew him to Jammu and Kashmir. Imprisonment did not deter him, and isolation did not diminish his spirit. His life ended in detention, far from the people whose cause he had made his own. Acharya Vinoba Bhave remarked that Mookerjee sacrificed himself for a cause he believed in. The revocation of Articles 370 and 35A in 2019, Modi noted, was a fitting tribute to his martyrdom.
Educational Vision and Nation-Building
Mookerjee became the youngest Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta, introducing patriotic and futuristic changes. Addressing educators, he said, "It is incorrect to look upon educational institutions as factories to produce potential clerks and low-paid staff. We have to turn out students capable of providing leadership to self-governing institutions." Under his leadership, the university improved library infrastructure, boosted research in sciences, encouraged study of artefacts, and established courses in agriculture. He drew attention to sports, teacher training, and student welfare, and instituted January 24 as the university's foundation day, requesting Rabindranath Tagore to compose a song for the university.
Founding the Bharatiya Jana Sangh
Later in life, Mookerjee founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh at a time when the Congress party was dominant. He believed an alternative voice was needed for India's progress while staying rooted in cultural values. The party's symbol was the diya, the earthen lamp, which Modi noted has the power to dispel darkness far beyond itself. The Jana Sangh embodied that spirit during its active years and beyond.
Comprehensive Industrial Policy
As India's first Minister for Industry and Supply, Mookerjee viewed industry as a means of restoring dignity and confidence to a newly independent nation. He laid foundations for modern industrial India through initiatives like the Damodar Valley Corporation and the Sindri Fertiliser Plant, while also championing handlooms, cottage industries, and artisans. Modi shared a personal experience: the Sindri plant, long neglected, was revived by his government, a moment he felt honoured to participate in.
Democratic Spirit and Opposition to the First Amendment
Mookerjee joined Pandit Nehru's Cabinet, believing nation-building transcended political differences. However, when national importance demanded a different course, he resigned with dignity. He was a staunch critic of the First Amendment, which Modi described as a direct assault on free speech. Mookerjee understood what the Congress was capable of, and was proven right when the Emergency was imposed in 1975, and the 42nd Amendment struck at liberal democratic values.
Humanitarian Efforts During Bengal Famine
During the tragic Bengal famine of 1943, Mookerjee opened canteens and relief centres to feed people. He was deeply shaken by the plight of the people and repulsed by colonial insensitivity. He wrote a book, 'Panchasher Manwantar', expressing his angst. His efforts to restore normalcy after a super cyclone hit Medinipur in 1942 were widely lauded.
Message to Youth and Vision for Viksit Bharat
Speaking at a college in Kolkata, Mookerjee urged the youth: "Whatever work you undertake, do it seriously, thoroughly and well; never leave it half-done or undone, never feel satisfied unless and until you have given it your very best." Modi concluded that as India advances towards Viksit Bharat, the finest tribute is to strive every day to build the strong, united, self-confident and compassionate India that Mookerjee believed in. He expressed confidence that today's youth will rise to the occasion.
