Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee

In News

• The Prime Minister paid tribute to Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his birth anniversary and remembered his contribution to India’s development particularly in sectors such as commerce and industry.

Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee

• About:
  • Born on 6 July, 1901 in Calcutta, Syama Prasad inherited a rich tradition ‘of erudite Scholarship, fervent nationalism and fearlessness from his father, who as the Vice-Chancellor of the Calcutta University and a Judge of the Calcutta High Court occupied a unique position in the life of Bengal.
  • He was a great patriot, educationist, parliamentarian, statesman, humanitarian and above all, a campaigner for national unity and integrity. 
• Youngest Vice-Chancellor 
  • In 1934, Syama Prasad became the youngest Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University, which gave him the opportunity to put his aims and ideals regarding education of his people in practice. 
  • It was under his Vice-Chancellorship that Rabindra Nath Tagore delivered his convocation address in Bengali which marked the beginning of the end of the era of English superiority over Bengali and other Indian languages.
• As a Nationalist 
  • The introduction of the Provincial part of the Government of India Act of 1935 and the elections to the Provincial Legislatures gave a new twist to the situation in the country. 
  • He again returned from the University constituency to the Bengal Legislature which afforded him an opportunity to study the working of provincial autonomy from very close quarters. 
  • During the same period, under the influence of Veer Savarkar, he joined Hindu Mahasabha and made it an instrument for check-mating the anti-national forces. 
  • Soon after, in 1939 he became its acting President and declared complete independence of India as the political goal of Hindu Mahasabha.
• As Humanitarian 
  • The Bengal famine of 1943 brought the humanitarian in Syama Prasad to the forefront which the people of Bengal can never forget even though some of them may not have liked his politics. 
  • In order to draw the attention of the country to the distress in Bengal and organise large-scale relief for the famine stricken people, he invited leading politicans, businessmen and philanthropists to devise ways and means to provide relief to the needy and the distressed. 
  • In response, Bengal Relief Committee was formed and the Hindu Mahasabha Relief Committee was also organised.
• On Kashmir:
  • Was opposed to India’s policy of autonomy to Jammu & Kashmir; arrested during Jana Sangh’s agitation against Kashmir policy; died during detention.
  • In his manifesto, the declaration to abrogate the temporary Article 370 was affirmed.
• Founder of Jan Sangh:
  • Syama Prasad concentrated his energies on creating a political platform through which the ideology and policies he stood for could be projected. 
  • He had already left the Hindu Mahasabha which refused to accept his suggestion to open its door to all Indians irrespective of caste and creed. 
  • Syama Prasad decided to give shape to a new national leadership in opposition. 
  • As a result of his efforts the All India Bharatiya  Jana Sangh was formally launched in October 1950. 
  • He was elected to lead the new organisation as its first All-India President.

Source: PIB