A 17.5-metre high statue of BJP ideologue Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, his first in Jammu and Kashmir, was unveiled in Kathua district Saturday, coinciding with his 118th birth anniversary.
Union minister Jitendra Singh unveiled the statue at aceremony, attended by senior BJP leaders National vice-president Avinash RaiKhanna, National Secretary and former MP Maheish Girri, state presidentRavinder Raina and assembly speaker Nirmal Singh, a party spokesman said.
“Although Mookerjee was not born in Jammu and Kashmir,his sacrifice in the state gave a message that the nation and its interestswere paramount for an Indian and that there should be no barrier in relationsbetween the Union of India and this border state,” Singh, who is Ministerof State in the Prime Minister’s Office, told a gathering after unveiling thestatue.
Mookerjee, who was strongly opposed to Article 370, whichgives special status to Jammu and Kashmir, died under mysterious circumstancesafter his arrest in Jammu and Kashmir in 1953.
Khanna said that installing the statue is a real tribute toMookerjee’s “supreme sacrifice” which culminated into the permit system beingabolished, facilitating people’s entry into the state without prior permission.
“Mookerjee’s contribution in uniting the nationalistpeople of the state under the umbrella of ‘Ek Vidhan Ek Nishan Ek Pradhan’ (oneconstitution, one flag, and one sovereign head) agitation would always beremembered.
“The unveiling of the statue is not only a tribute tothe great leader but a pledge as well to carry forward and complete theunfinished agenda,” the state BJP president said.
Nirmal Singh, the Assembly speaker and former deputy chiefminister, said Mookerjee left a luxurious life to lead a movement for the causeof nation.
Girri said the nation always remembers the leaders whocontribute to nation-building or sacrifice their life for a national cause.
Former deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta said althoughbelated but it has fulfilled the long cherished dream of millions of BJPworkers.State General Secretary (Organisation) AshokKaul, described Mookerjee as a “man of principles” who worked on thephilosophy of ‘nation first, party second and self last’, and said the presentday cadre of party should take inspiration from his life.