Under the 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' celebrations dedicated to the 75th anniversary of independence, speaking in a one-day webinar on the topic “Syama Prasad Mookerjee - Maker of Modern India”, Jharkhand Governor Droupadi Murmu said that Dr. Shyama Prasad Mookerjee played a big role in keeping the unity and integrity of India untouched.
Speaking on the occasion, the Governor said, “The dream of the end of Article 370 you are seeing in Jammu and Kashmir today was the dream of Dr. Mukherjee in the 1960s. Dr. Mukherjee had clearly said that two legislations, two heads and two symbols will not work in one country. To prove this integrity, Mukherjee went to Kashmir and agitated and sacrificed himself. Dr Mukherjee never compromised on his values. He was the builder of true modern India.” Expressing her gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Murmu said that the PM by making changes in Artcile 370 has realised the dream of Mukherjee, this country and the people residing here.
During the programme, the president of Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts, Ram Bahadur Rai, while focusing the attention of the people on the wrong policies of the Congress after the independence of the country, said that if Mukherjee was not there, the map of India you are seeing today would not be seen. Rai said that the Indian freedom struggle and after that Dr. Mukherjee's contribution is unforgettable. He said that in saving Punjab and Bengal, Dr. Mukherjee had a big role. Rai said that in the year 1937, when he felt that the direction of India was going wrong, he left academic work and joined politics and remained active throughout his life without compromising on values. Not only this, he also sacrificed his life with the same values of unity and integrity.
Throwing light on the historical facts of Parliament, Rai said that when the then Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru amended the Constitution in 1951, Dr. Mukherjee opposed it in his speech. Mukherjee put many questions in front of Nehru but Nehru did not have the answer to any question. In those days a booklet was published, in which China's view about Nehru was printed. In the Parliament House, Mukherjee read it out and told what the Chinese leaders understood about Nehru. Mukherjee resigned from the Union Cabinet against the Jawahar-Liaquat Pact and laid the foundation of nationalist politics.
The Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Singha said, “Syama Prasad Mookerjee sacrificed his life. Dr. Mukherjee was a pioneer of Indianness, unity and integrity. He said that the first movement of independent India was Dr. Mukherjee, and the dream he saw was fulfilled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Dr Mookerjee not only played his role in the making of a united India but also gave his all for the same.” During his lecture, Singh also discussed the developmental work being done in Kashmir and said that 20 thousand crore rupees are going to be invested in Kashmir. He said that at the time of Article 370 many communities were not getting the benefit of reservation but now they are getting it.
Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan said that he knew Kashmir very closely. “Dr. Mukherjee did many things in his life but his identity is only about Kashmir. Complete merger of Kashmir with India. It was possible only because of Mukherjee. He said that in this country talking on national issues like Kashmir was considered communal but Mukherjee not only spoke but also made sacrifices for it. Dr. Mukherjee's personality should be told and taught to today's generation,” he said.
The Webinar was attended by Union Minister of State, Independent Charge Prahlad Singh Patel, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha, Governor of Jharkhand Droupadi Murmu, President of Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts Ram Bahadur Rai, Director of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Research Institute, Dr. Arniban Ganguly, and Dr. Satchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary, IGNC, Regional Director of Ranchi Center Dr. Kumar Sanjay Jha, Research Officer, IGNC, Dr. Jasveer Singh, Project Associate Shruti Awasthi among others.
