Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that the life of eminent freedom fighter and founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee, stands as a symbol of national service, sacrifice and unwavering principles. He said Dr. Mookerjee’s birth anniversary is not merely an occasion to remember him but an opportunity to follow the path he showed and inspire the younger generation with his ideals, values and vision.
The Chief Minister was addressing the Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee 125th Commemoration Programme in Ambala on Monday. Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Sh. Jagat Prakash Nadda also attended the event.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister made a major announcement that the Science Centre, to be constructed in Ambala at a cost of Rs. 85 crore, will be named after Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee. He also announced that a statue of Dr. Mookerjee would be installed near the under-construction Shaheed Smarak (Martyrs’ Memorial).
Earlier, the Chief Minister, Union Minister, Sh. Jagat Prakash Nadda, State President, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Haryana, Dr. Archana Gupta, and Member BJP Parliamentary Board, Smt. Sudha Yadav paid floral tributes to Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee. Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said that a two-year nationwide commemoration marking Dr. Mookerjee’s birth anniversary has been underway since last year and will continue until July 2027.
He described the initiative as a national campaign to take Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s thoughts and ideals to every household and every citizen, while expressing the nation’s gratitude for his immense contribution. He said Dr. Mookerjee’s personality reflected a remarkable confluence of scholarship, dedicated public service and patriotism.
Recalling his life, the Chief Minister said Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee was born in Kolkata on July 6, 1901, and inherited both academic excellence and a deep commitment to national service from his family. His father, Sir Ashutosh Mookerjee, was one of Bengal’s most distinguished educationists. At the age of just 33, Dr. Mookerjee became the youngest Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta.
He later served as an influential member of the Constituent Assembly and also held the office of Independent India’s first Minister for Industry and Supply, shared Sh. Nayab Singh Saini. The Chief Minister said Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s political career was driven not by the pursuit of power but by his commitment to service and principles.
When questions concerning national interest and fundamental principles arose, he resigned from the Union Cabinet on April 19, 1950. Subsequently, he met the then RSS Sarsanghchalak Sh. Guru Golwalkar and, together with Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, which later became the ideological foundation of today’s Bharatiya Janata Party.
Highlighting Ambala’s historic association with Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee, the Chief Minister said that on May 8, 1953, while travelling to Jammu and Kashmir, Dr. Mookerjee stopped at Ambala railway station and sent a message to the then Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Sheikh Abdullah, informing him that he was proceeding to Jammu without a permit to assess the prevailing situation and help restore peace.
He further said that at the Ravi river bridge, Dr. Mookerjee was served with government orders preventing his entry into Jammu and Kashmir. However, he firmly declared that he was determined to enter the state. He subsequently entered Jammu and Kashmir without a permit, was arrested, and placed under detention near Srinagar, where he later passed away during detention.
The Chief Minister described this as the supreme sacrifice made for the unity and integrity of India. He recalled that Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee had given the historic call, "One nation cannot have two flags, two constitutions and two prime ministers."
He said it is a matter of pride that under the leadership of Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi, this long-standing resolve has been fulfilled. He added that Dr. Mookerjee’s birth anniversary inspires every citizen to place national interest above all else and follow his ideals.
The Chief Minister further said that under Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi’s leadership, the country is collectively working towards achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047, while drawing inspiration from Dr. Mookerjee’s ideals.
Make in India, the National Education Policy and Atmanirbhar Bharat are carrying forward Dr. Mookerjee’s nationalist vision- Jagat Prakash Nadda
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Sh. Jagat Prakash Nadda, while addressing the gathering, said that Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee was not merely a historical figure but the architect of the vision of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’. He dedicated his entire life to safeguarding India’s unity, integrity and cultural nationalism.
Today, under the leadership of Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi, that vision is being translated into reality. He said Dr. Mookerjee founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh on October 21, 1951, providing the country with a strong ideological alternative.
Built upon those ideals, the Bharatiya Janata Party has today become the world’s largest political party, while the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is serving people across most parts of the country. Sh. Jagat Prakash Nadda said Dr. Mookerjee had declared that "One nation cannot have two constitutions, two prime ministers and two flags."
He laid down his life for the complete integration of Jammu and Kashmir with India. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, this vision was realised through the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019.
He further said that Dr. Mookerjee had advocated granting citizenship to refugees who had fled religious persecution in East Pakistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi fulfilled this vision by implementing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
The Union Minister added that flagship initiatives such as Make in India, defence manufacturing, semiconductor production, the National Education Policy, and Atmanirbhar Bharat represent important steps towards realising Dr. Mookerjee’s nationalist vision. He described the National Education Policy as a historic reform that makes education more accessible, affordable, flexible and rooted in the mother tongue.
Union Minister praises Haryana’s pace of development
Union Minister, Sh. Jagat Prakash Nadda lauded Haryana’s "double-engine government" and appreciated the leadership of Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini, highlighting the state’s developmental achievements. Referring to key infrastructure projects supported by the Central Government, he mentioned the Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram Thermal Power Plant in Yamunanagar, the Dwarka Expressway, the Rewari Bypass, expansion of the national highway network, railway projects, and the Maruti Suzuki manufacturing facility at Kharkhoda, all of which, he said, are accelerating Haryana’s development.
He also praised the state’s transparent recruitment system, noting that thousands of young people have secured government jobs without recommendations or bribery. He said the state government has undertaken commendable initiatives in women’s welfare, healthcare and infrastructure development.
He also referred to the Lado Laxmi Yojana, the provision of LPG cylinders at Rs. 500 for eligible beneficiaries, and procurement of farmers’ crops at the Minimum Support Price (MSP). Expansion of AIIMS facilities and cancer treatment infrastructure, he added, has brought about significant improvements in the healthcare sector.
The Union Minister further said that Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee had played a historic role in ensuring that West Bengal remained an integral part of India. Had he not led that movement, West Bengal, in its present form, might not have existed today.
He said the most meaningful tribute to Dr. Mookerjee would be for every citizen to contribute towards building a Developed India and a Self-Reliant India, while always placing national interest above personal considerations. Sh. Jagat Prakash Nadda, also lauded Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini’s announcement to name the Ambala Science Centre after Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee and to install his grand statue there, congratulating the Chief Minister on the decision.
Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee was a pioneer of India’s industrial transformation: BJP Haryana President Dr. Archana Gupta
Addressing the programme, Dr. Archana Gupta said Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee made the ultimate sacrifice for the unity of the nation and was among the earliest advocates of making India self-reliant. She said that as Independent India’s first Minister for Industry and Supply, Dr. Mookerjee earned widespread respect for his integrity, commitment to duty and principled public life, even while serving in opposition to prevailing political currents. She said that he laid particular emphasis on four key areas i.e railways, airports, defence production and nuclear energy and said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is carrying forward the same vision today.
Senior BJP leader, Smt. Banto Kataria, State Convener, Sh. Sandeep Joshi, District President, Sh. Mandeep Rana, former Minister, Sh. Aseem Goel, Mayor, Ms. Akshita Saini, former MLA, Sh. Pawan Saini, Smt. Santosh Sarwan, and several other dignitaries also remained present on this occasion.