June 23 marks the 69th death anniversary of Jana Sangh founder Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. A barrister and an academician, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee made significant contributions in the fields of education, politics, society and culture. He served as the Minister for Industry and Supply in Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's cabinet. He was one of those politicians who promoted the idea of nationalism.

 

He also championed the cause of J&K's complete integration with the Union of India. His death remains a mystery even today. July 6 happens to be Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee’s birthday and June 23 is his death anniversary.

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today remembered him for his noble ideals, rich thoughts and commitment to serve people. He tweeted in this regard.

 

 

 

Shyama Prasad Mukherjee was born in a Brahmin family on July 6, 1901, in Calcutta. His father, Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee, was a barrister, while his mother Jogmaya Devi was a scholar.Following his family tradition, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee went on to study law. By 23, he had already completed his Bachelor of Laws (BL) degree.

 

He was inducted into the Cabinet by then-Prime Minister Dr Jawaharlal Nehru and made the Minister for Industry and supply. However, a year later, he resigned from the Cabinet on April 8, 1950 over differences with Nehru on the Delhi pact with Liaquat Ali Khan.

 

In 1951, Mukherjee founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh after consultation with MS Golwalkar of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

 

Mukherjee fought for achieving Kashmir's total integration into India and he strongly opposed Article 370, the provision in the Constitution that assigned autonomous status to Jammu & Kashmir. He was vehemently against a rule that required non-Kashmiris to have a permit to visit the state. In protest, he raised a strong slogan, "Two flags in one country, two legislations in one country, two heads in one country, unacceptable, unacceptable".

 

 

To protest against this, he went to Jammu & Kashmir and was arrested on May 11, 1953. He died under preventive detention on June 23, 1953, at the age of 52. His death remains controversial to this day. He sacrificed his life for the cause of one India and United India.

 

Mukherjee's resolve became the resolution of the nation. His sacrifice became the vow to abolish Article 370. The 70-year-old mission was achieved by the Modi government on August 05, 2019 with the abrogation of article 370.