Jagat Prakash Nadda blames Nehru for denying inquiry into Mookerjee's death

New Delhi: BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda on Monday blamed first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru for denying inquiry into the death of Bharatiya Jan Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee who died under mysterious circumstances in Srinagar jail in June 1953.

Nadda said that despite requests, Nehru did not launch an inquiry into Mookerjee's death.

Addressing a virtual rally on the 119th birth anniversary of Mookerjee, Nadda rued, "He was kept in a jail in Srinagar following which his health deteriorated and he died under suspicious circumstances. His mother requested Nehru for an inquiry into the death of her son, but Nehru did not allow it to happen."

He added, "It shows Congress' undemocratic face. No one knows how he died. We continued to fight on his ideals and follow the path he has shown us." Mookerjee was an academician, politician and founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the predecessor of Bharatiya Janata Party.

Noting that Mukherjee's ideals were a unique blend of "regional aspirations and national unity", the BJP national chief said that he had sowed the seed of abolition of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir through his slogan, "Ek desh mein do vidhan, do nishaan, do pradhaan nahi chalega, nahi chalega."

"He did a press conference in 1953 and said - 'If in a 35-crore country, 4 crore Muslims can live happily, why can't 25 lakh Muslims of Jammu and Kashmir live happily? I would revolt against this 'Permit Raj' and I would hoist the Indian flag there'," said Nadda.

Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several BJP leaders paid tribute to Mookerjee on his birth anniversary.

PM Modi tweeted, "I bow to Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his Jayanti. A devout patriot, he made exemplary contributions towards India's development. He made courageous efforts to further India's unity. His thoughts and ideals give strength to millions across the nation."

Nadda further slammed the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government and said that education in the state has taken a nosedive. "Syama Prasad Mookerjee led the state of West Bengal to new heights. It was said - 'What Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow'."

Nadda added, "But today, the politicization has been to very low levels. This is troublesome for Bengal. We must be dedicated to take education in Bengal to the level it was in the past. Pride of Bengal has to be restored."