Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Tuesday paid tributes to Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his death anniversary and termed him “a visionary of an integrated India”.
Mookerjee, who steadfastly opposed the now-scrapped Article 370, died under detention on June 23, 1953, in Srinagar. The Bharatiya Jana Sangh was the precursor of the ruling BJP. Mookerjee had fought for scrapping Article 370 and full integration of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of India.
In a post on X, Majhi said, “Today, I paid tribute to the great public figure and patriot Syama Prasad Mookerjee, a great public figure and a visionary of an integrated India, by participating in the state-level Balidan Diwas programme in Bhubaneswar.”
“His struggle and supreme sacrifice to protect the country’s unity and sovereignty, and establish Jammu and Kashmir as an integral part of India are always an inspiration for every Indian,” the chief minister said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi fulfilled Mukherjee’s decades-old dream by abrogating provisions like Articles 370 and 35(A), he said, adding, “Due to this move, today the tricolour is proudly hoisted there.”
ମହାନ ଶିକ୍ଷାବିତ, ପ୍ରଖର ରାଷ୍ଟ୍ରବାଦୀ, ରାଷ୍ଟ୍ରୀୟ ଏକତା ଏବଂ ଅଖଣ୍ଡତାର ପ୍ରତୀକ, ଭାରତୀୟ ଜନସଂଘର ସଂସ୍ଥାପକ ଆଦରଣୀୟ ଡ. ଶ୍ୟାମା ପ୍ରସାଦ ମୁଖାର୍ଜୀଙ୍କ ପୁଣ୍ୟତିଥିରେ ଭକ୍ତିପୂତ ଶ୍ରଦ୍ଧାଞ୍ଜଳି। ଦେଶର ଏକତା ଓ ଅଖଣ୍ଡତା ପାଇଁ ତାଙ୍କର ଅବଦାନ ଏବଂ ଆଦର୍ଶ ସଦାସର୍ବଦା ପ୍ରେରଣାର ଉତ୍ସ ହୋଇ ରହିବ। 🙏 pic.twitter.com/STQx6UWlXA
— Mohan Charan Majhi (@MohanMOdisha) June 23, 2026
Taking a swipe at the BJD, Majhi said, “The previous government always ignored this great man’s contribution to protect its narrow political interests.”
However, the BJP-led state government has taken up observing this day as a sacred national duty and will continue to do so, he added.