Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday paid tributes to Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his death anniversary and said that his life was dedicated to the unity and integrity of India.

Addressing people gathered for a ceremony on Mookerjee, Adityanath said freedom fighter Syama Prasad Mookerjee sacrificed his life in 1953 for “one country, one head of state, one constitution and one flag.’The country became independent in 1947 and in 1950 India implemented its constitution. But the implementation of the constitution, the then Congress-led government made a malicious attempt to seriously harm the national integrity by adding Article 370 to the constitution of the country.’

‘Keeping in mind the intention of the then government, Dr Mookerjee who was a minister in the central government at the time, left his post and started a massive movement to remove Article 370 from Kashmir for the prestige and integrity of the country,’ he said.  The chief minister said he had to sacrifice his life for Kashmir Satyagraha, which he had started Bharatiya Jana Sangh workers.

Crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the abrogation of Article 370, Adityanath said, “By abolishing Article 370 in Kashmir, the BJP government has kept its promise of ‘one country, one head of state, one constitution and one flag’,” He said, ‘This is a tribute to all those martyrs who sacrificed their lives for Kashmir, the integrity of the country and for the protection of its borders.”

Earlier, in a post on X, Adityanath said, “Humble tribute to the great patriot, founder president of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, excellent educationist, guide of nationalists, revered Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his martyrdom day! His entire life and sacrifice, dedicated to the unity and integrity of India, is a great inspiration for the people of the country.’

UP cabinet ministers and other prominent leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also paid floral tributes to Mookerjee’s statue here.

BJP leaders, including Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, Water Power Minister Swatantra Dev Singh, former Deputy Chief Minister and Rajya Sabha member Dinesh Sharma and former minister Mahendra Singh paid their tribute to Mookerjee.