Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday paid heartfelt tributes to Syama Prasad Mookerjee, the founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, on his death anniversary. Mookerjee died in 1953 while in custody in Srinagar after protesting against the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the 99th Annual Meet and National Conference of Vice-Chancellors in Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, Dhankhar highlighted Mookerjee’s fight against Article 370 and Article 35-A. “Article 370 made Jammu and Kashmir — and the country — bleed,” he said, adding that Article 35-A deprived people of their fundamental rights.
The Vice-President called the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, the “most befitting tribute” to Mookerjee’s vision of “Ek Vidhaan, Ek Nishaan, Ek Pradhan” (One Constitution, One Flag, One Prime Minister). He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for fulfilling Mookerjee’s life mission. “We had Prime Minister Modi, and in the shoes of Sardar Patel, we had Amit Shah,” Dhankhar said, noting that the Supreme Court upheld the move on December 11, 2023.
Dhankhar also emphasized the role of universities in driving change, saying they must be spaces for dialogue, debate, and dissent. “They are not just degree-issuing institutions but must catalyse transformation,” he told Vice-Chancellors and academic leaders.
Touching upon the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Dhankhar said it reflects India’s civilisational values and positions education as a tool for equality and democratic progress. He praised India’s growth in entrepreneurship and innovation, calling the country a land of opportunity.
Prime Minister Modi, in his tribute, wrote on social media: “Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee displayed exemplary courage and resilience to keep the integrity of the country intact. His invaluable contributions to nation-building will always be remembered with reverence.”
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