Kolkata, Jul 6: Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Monday said Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee had sacrificed his life for the complete integration of Jammu and Kashmir with rest of the country.
Addressing a commemorative programme in Kolkata to mark Mookerjee’s 125th birth anniversary, Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had realised Mookerjee’s resolve of ‘One Nation, One Constitution’ by scrapping Article 370 and asserted that Jammu and Kashmir was now an integral part of India.
“Mookerjee gave the slogan, ‘One country cannot have two constitutions, two heads and two symbols.’ He died under suspicious circumstances in a Kashmir jail while pursuing that cause, and the then government did not investigate his death. PM Modi fulfilled his resolve by uprooting Article 370. Today, Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India,” Shah said.

The programme was attended by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat while PM Modi addressed the gathering through a video message.
Shah announced that the foundation stone had been laid for a 125-foot statue of Mookerjee in Kolkata, describing it as more than the construction of a monument.
“This is not merely the foundation-laying ceremony for a statue, but the beginning of the resolve to build ‘Sonar Bangla’,” he said.
The Home Minister said the statue would be installed on the banks of Kolkata’s largest man-made lake and that the site would also house the Shyama Prasad Mookerjee Institute, dedicated to research on India’s national security.

Congratulating the West Bengal government for declaring Mookerjee’s birth anniversary a public holiday, Shah said the decision honoured one of Bengal’s foremost nationalist leaders. 
He also expressed hope that the state government would soon implement Mookerjee’s vision regarding the promotion of Indian languages.
Recalling Mookerjee’s political journey, Shah said he had resigned from the first Union Cabinet in protest against the Nehru-Liaquat Pact, which he believed failed to safeguard the interests of Hindus who had remained in Pakistan and East Pakistan while focusing on Muslims who stayed in India.
“He believed the agreement was one-sided, and therefore resigned from the Cabinet,” Shah said.
He said that the BJP-led government had since enacted the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) to grant citizenship to persecuted Hindus and reiterated the Centre’s commitment to identify and deport infiltrators from India.

“We have abolished Article 370, granted citizenship to refugee Hindus, and will identify and remove every infiltrator to make India completely secure,” Shah said.
Describing Mookerjee as a multifaceted leader, he said he founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh to unite nationalist forces and lay the foundation of cultural nationalism.
“The seed sown by Mookerjee has today grown into the banyan tree called the Bharatiya Janata Party,” he said, adding that the organisation founded by Mookerjee now governed nearly two-thirds of India’s territory and population.

Shah said Mookerjee believed that the policies of independent India should reflect “the fragrance of India’s soil” rather than be influenced by Western thinking. 

He said PM Modi was translating that vision into reality by pursuing development while preserving India’s cultural heritage, with the goal of building a developed India by 2047.
He also described Mookerjee as the common source of nationalist ideas such as cultural nationalism, the vision of an undivided India, and the principle of balancing development with heritage.

Referring to Bengal’s historical legacy, Shah said the rebuilding of the state envisioned by Rabindranath Tagore, Ramakrishna Paramahansa, Swami Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and Raja Rammohan Roy had begun with the current government.
The Home Minister said the coincidence of the 150th anniversary of “Vande Mataram” and the 125th birth anniversary of Mookerjee in the same year carried symbolic significance. 

He said efforts had begun to encourage the full rendition of “Vande Mataram” so that younger generations could proudly pay tribute to the homeland.
Listing initiatives undertaken by the newly elected West Bengal government, Shah said the Annapurna Yojana, Ujjwala 3.0, free bus travel for women and girl students, the Lakhpati Didi Mission, and the implementation of Ayushman Bharat providing free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh for poor families had been rolled out.
He said construction of a cancer hospital in north Bengal had begun, land had been handed over to the Border Security Force for border fencing and a committee headed by Justice Brijendra Nath had been constituted to investigate corruption.
“Those involved in corruption should be prepared to return every rupee looted from the poor once the committee submits its report,” Shah said.
He said another committee had been set up to investigate crimes against women, approvals had been granted for prosecution in long-pending corruption cases and a committee had also been formed to examine implementation of the Uniform Civil Code in the state.

Shah said the West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order (Amendment) Bill, 2026, had been passed as part of the government’s promise to take strict action against criminals.
He said the process of identifying and deporting infiltrators from the state had begun and that a “Durga Suraksha Squad” had been constituted to enhance the safety of women.

Accusing previous Left Front and Trinamool Congress governments of pushing Bengal backwards, Shah expressed confidence that the government led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari would fulfil every promise made in its election manifesto within five years and lay a strong foundation for “Sonar Bangla”.

He said Mookerjee, whom he credited with helping save Bengal, Kashmir, and Assam, had not received the memorial he deserved until now, and expressed confidence that the new memorial in Kolkata would inspire future generations.

Kolkata, July 6: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said the abrogation of Article 370 by the Narendra Modi government fulfilled the long-standing vision of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, asserting that Jammu and Kashmir is now an “integral part of India.”

Addressing a commemorative event marking the 125th birth anniversary of Syama Prasad Mookerjee in Kolkata, Shah said Mookerjee had sacrificed his life while opposing the special constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir under the slogan, “Ek desh mein do Vidhan, do Pradhan, do Nishan nahi chalenge” (One nation cannot have two constitutions, two prime ministers and two flags).

“Dr Mookerjee gave his life for the complete integration of Jammu and Kashmir with India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi fulfilled his resolve by removing Article 370. Today, Jammu and Kashmir is an inseparable part of India,” Shah said.

The Home Minister also recalled Mookerjee’s opposition to the Nehru-Liaquat Pact, saying he had resigned from the first Union Cabinet because he believed the agreement failed to safeguard the interests of Hindus who had remained in Pakistan and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).

Shah said the Modi government had also fulfilled another of Mookerjee’s objectives by enacting the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), which provides a pathway to Indian citizenship for persecuted religious minorities from neighbouring countries.

“We have removed Article 370, granted citizenship to persecuted Hindu refugees through the CAA, and we will identify and remove every infiltrator from Indian soil to make the country more secure,” he said.

Speaking at the event, Shah announced that a 125-foot statue of Syama Prasad Mookerjee would be installed in Kolkata, describing it as more than a memorial and calling it “the beginning of the resolve for Sonar Bangla.” He said a Syama Prasad Mookerjee Institute dedicated to research on India’s national security would also be established alongside the statue.

Shah said Mookerjee’s vision of combining cultural nationalism with modern development was being realised under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership.

“His belief was that the policies of independent India should reflect the fragrance of India’s own soil, not be influenced by Western thinking. Under Prime Minister Modi, that vision has begun to take concrete shape,” he said.

Referring to Mookerjee’s role in founding the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Shah said the organisation had grown into the Bharatiya Janata Party, which now governs a majority of India’s population and territory.

The Home Minister also praised the West Bengal government for declaring Mookerjee’s birth anniversary a public holiday and said the state had begun implementing several commitments, including welfare schemes, anti-corruption measures, women’s safety initiatives, and steps to identify illegal infiltrators.

Shah accused previous Communist and Trinamool Congress governments of pushing West Bengal backwards and expressed confidence that the current government would fulfil its electoral promises and lay the foundation for a “Sonar Bangla.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recorded message was also played during the event, which was attended by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and other dignitaries.

Kolkata, Jul 6: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the abrogation of Article 370 had fulfilled the dream of Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee while asserting that his ideology and principles continue to shape the BJP’s governance agenda and guide “New India”.

Addressing a commemorative programme through a video message on Mookerjee’s 125th birth anniversary, Modi described him as a visionary, patriot and champion of national unity, and drew a direct ideological link between the Jana Sangh founder’s political struggles and several of the BJP’s signature policy decisions, including the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.

“Today, the nation and West Bengal are remembering a great son of the soil, a great patriot who was dedicated to the integrity of India,” Modi said while lauding the newly formed BJP government in West Bengal for honouring the nationalist leader’s legacy.

In remarks carrying strong political and ideological overtones, the Prime Minister linked the BJP-led Centre’s decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional status in August 2019 with Mookerjee’s long-standing opposition to Article 370 and his campaign for the complete integration of the erstwhile state with the rest of the country.

The constitutional arrangement allowed the state to maintain its own constitution, fly a separate state flag, and use distinct titles for its leaders — Prime Minister, and not the chief minister, and Sadar-e-Riyasat in place of governor.

“Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee was completely dedicated to the vision of one India, supreme India.

He gave the nation the mantra that one country cannot have two constitutions, two heads and two symbols. This was not merely a slogan; it was a call for equal rights, an equal Constitution and an equal national consciousness,” he added.

Recalling Mookerjee’s arrest during his agitation against Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and his death in custody in 1953, Modi said the Jana Sangh founder had fought for his convictions till the very end.

“He fought for his principles, went to jail and ultimately made the supreme sacrifice for Kashmir. Today, our government takes pride in the fact that by dismantling the wall of Article 370, we have fulfilled Dr Mookerjee’s dream,” the Prime Minister said.

He also used the occasion to stress Mookerjee’s role during the Partition, particularly in safeguarding the interests of Bengal when, according to him, efforts were being made to include the entire province in Pakistan.

“Dr Mookerjee stood firm against these conspiracies. He mobilised public opinion, fought political battles and ensured that Bengal remained an integral part of India,” Modi said.

“Congress divided the country, and I divided Pakistan,” he quoted Mookerjee.

The PM repeatedly highlighted the role of the BJP government in West Bengal in commemorating the Jana Sangh founder, describing it as a reflection of a governance philosophy centred on “Nation First”.

“Just a few days ago, on June 20, Paschimbanga Divas was organised in a grand manner. It was a salute to the land of Bengal and its heritage. Today’s programme is part of the same effort to honour our heritage. I congratulate the West Bengal government for organising such a grand event,” he said.

Today’s programme is also a testament to the fact that when there is a government committed to “Nation First”, national heroes are honoured and every effort is made to work according to their vision, Modi said.

The Prime Minister noted that the Centre was observing Mookerjee’s 125th birth anniversary as a two-year national commemoration.

“It began on July 6 last year and will continue till July 6 next year,” he said.

Describing Mookerjee’s life as an example of how conviction, ideological clarity and commitment could transform an idea into a mass movement, Modi said his journey represented the power of a deeply held belief backed by sustained public engagement.

Tracing the origins of the Jana Sangh, Modi said Mookerjee had introduced ideological diversity into Indian politics at a time when the Congress dominated the national landscape and alternative political viewpoints struggled to find space.

“It was then that Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee dared to embrace a new idea, challenging all those circumstances,” he said.

According to Modi, the formation of the Jana Sangh represented far more than the launch of a political organisation.

“It was an expression of unwavering faith in ideological diversity in democracy, national reflection and public participation. It was from this very faith that the Bharatiya Jana Sangh was born,” he said.

The PM also paid tribute to generations of Jana Sangh and BJP workers who, he said, dedicated their lives to preserving and nurturing that ideological movement through decades of political struggle.

“An ideology does not become immortal merely because it is founded. It becomes immortal when generations nurture and carry it forward. Several workers devoted their entire lives to keeping the ideology and principles of Jana Sangh alive,” he said.

Modi drew a direct line from the Jana Sangh to the BJP, saying, “That same Bharatiya Jana Sangh is today serving the people as the Bharatiya Janata Party, the world’s largest democratic force.”

He said Mookerjee’s ideas were not only relevant in contemporary India but were helping shape the country’s future.

“His ideology is flourishing in the present and giving direction to a new India,” Modi said.

Expressing confidence that Mookerjee’s contribution would remain central to the BJP’s narrative, Modi said future generations would continue to draw inspiration from his courage, vision and commitment to national unity.

“I am fully confident that when future generations write the history of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s journey and study it, they will certainly mention Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee’s ideas, courage and foresight,” he said.