dr shyama prasad mukherjee who fought against politics of appeasement

Tarun Chugh
Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee was very worried about the manner in which the policy of appeasement followed in the country after independence. He could see that a strategy was being made to take the whole of Bengal to Pakistan. He resigned from the Nehru cabinet and became involved in opposing the politics of appeasement. The goal of his life was to establish national unity by removing Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. In his efforts to achieve this, he even sacrificed his life on this day (23 June 1953). In the year 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government paid a true tribute to him by abolishing the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370.

Born on July 6, 1901 in a distinguished family of Calcutta, Dr. Shyamaprasad Mukherjee returned home from Britain in 1926 as a barrister, then voluntarily entered politics. Increasingly in the flow of ideas, he came in contact with Savarkar and also became the president of the Hindu Mahasabha. On his becoming the President of the Hindu Mahasabha, Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi had said that after Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, if anyone can give a vision regarding the Hindu subject, then it is Syama Prasad Mukherjee.

At Gandhi’s invitation, he became the first non-Congress minister in Nehru’s cabinet. He was given two ministries, Industry and Supply. There too he left an indelible mark. He established the Chittaranjan Locomotive Factory. He established Fertilizer Corporation in Sindri. He established the aircraft program in Bangalore. But he did not accept being in the Council of Ministers for a long time. When the views did not match, he distanced himself from the Nehru cabinet. The reason was the pact between Jawaharlal Nehru and Liaquat Ali. He had told Jawaharlal Nehru that through the politics of appeasement that you have run in India, you are engaged in looting everything, but the minority in Pakistan is unable to protect itself.

In his journey beyond the Hindu Mahasabha, he founded the Jana Sangh in 1951 and became the first national president. For the first time in 1952, he came to the first Lok Sabha after winning in the name of Jansangh. Then three seats were won. His ability and popularity was such that he became the spokesperson as well as the leader of the Democratic Front of the opposition. In the 1952 Kanpur convention of the Jana Sangh, he raised the issue that the merger of Jammu and Kashmir with the country should be complete. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee said in clear words that why special rights are being given to Jammu and Kashmir through Article 370? People shouted slogans, two symbols, two legislations, two leaders will not work in one country.

In 1953, he said in a press conference in Patna that if four crore Muslims can live peacefully in a country of 35 crores, then can’t 25 lakh Muslims of Jammu and Kashmir live peacefully? I will agitate against this permit raj, license raj, the raj to go to Jammu and Kashmir. I will go to the land of Jammu and Kashmir without a permit, I will also hoist the tricolor there. When he left Delhi, he was received grandly at various places. He sent Balraj Madhok back to Delhi from Jalandhar and said that ‘my fight is for Jammu and Kashmir, but you have to take care of the country’. You take my voice to every corner of the country.’ Then he left for Amritsar. Reached Lakhanpur, the border of Jammu-Kashmir and Punjab.

In what way would a prominent leader of India have gone out to unite the country in 1953? How would it have gone there? When he was entering the border of Jammu and Kashmir, he told Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee that ‘Now you get back from here and tell the world. Keep playing this sound. Keep fighting this battle. This was his patriotism. He was arrested and kept in Srinagar jail. Stayed in jail for 44 days. His health deteriorated there. Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee mysteriously said goodbye to all of us on 23rd June, but it is our duty to follow the path shown by him.

(The writer is National General Secretary of BJP)