Sir — This refers to your editorial “They’re all national icons.” Syama Prasad Mookerjee, the youngest Vice-Chanceller of Kolkata University at that time and Industry Minister in Jawaharlal Nehru’s first Cabinet, founded the Jan Sangh later on.
Mookerjee, did not approve of Nehru’s approach in dealing with the Jammu & Kashmir situation, in which a special status was accorded to the State, with its own flag and Prime Minister. No one, including the President of India, could enter Kashmir without the permission of Kashmir’s Prime Minister. Mookerjee revolted against this decision and in protest, he went to Kashmir without any permit, got arrested and passed away in jail under mysterious conditions.
It unfortunate that the likes of Mookerjee, including Veer Savarkar, did not get the honour which was due to them because of partisan behaviour of post-independence leaders.