On the death anniversary of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta hailed the Jana Sangh founder as a courageous leader who championed the cause of national unity with his powerful slogan, “Ek Vidhan, Ek Samvidhan” (One Constitution, One Law).
Addressing a memorial event at the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Park in the capital, Gupta said Mookerjee was a pioneer in the fight for India’s integrity even after independence, describing him as a leader who “roared like a lion” against the idea of Jammu and Kashmir having a separate constitution.
“The one who gave the slogan ‘Ye Kashmir Hamara Hai’ stood firmly for India’s unity. He rejected the idea of two constitutions for one nation and resigned from the government of independent India when he saw it wasn’t working for the country’s progress,” Gupta said.
She was joined by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta, BJP MPs from Delhi, and senior BJP leaders who paid homage to Mookerjee.
The Chief Minister also criticised past governments, alleging they prioritised political power over national interest.
“They were more focused on maintaining their rule than on preserving India’s sovereignty. They divided the country—first Pakistan-Bangladesh, then Kashmir. Syama Prasad Mookerjee stood against all of it,” she added.
Also present at the event, Delhi BJP President Virendraa Sachdeva echoed Gupta’s sentiments and raised questions over the mysterious circumstances surrounding Mookerjee’s death. He referred to a letter written by Mookerjee’s mother to then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, demanding an inquiry.
“Dr Mookerjee’s mother’s letter to Nehru expresses not just a mother’s anguish, but the sorrow of an entire nation. She questioned why her son was detained in a region where the Indian Constitution had no authority and was denied medical treatment,” Sachdeva said.
Sachdeva also noted that Mookerjee’s opposition to Nehru’s policy of “Do Vidhan, Do Pradhan, Do Nishan” (Two Constitutions, Two Prime Ministers, Two Flags) continues to resonate as a defining chapter in the fight for national unity.
Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (predecessor to the BJP), died in 1953 under controversial circumstances while under detention in Jammu and Kashmir. His legacy continues to be celebrated by the BJP as a symbol of patriotic resistance and constitutional unity.