Umarkote: At the BJP office in Umarkote, Nabarangpur district, the death anniversary of Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee was observed as ‘Balidan Diwas’ (Martyrs’ Day) by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Dr. Mukherjee was a renowned jurist, educationist, and nationalist leader. He was a staunch opponent of the religious partition of India and the founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, which is now known as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He was a humanist and ideologue, and also served as the Finance Minister in Nehru’s cabinet.
Dr. Mukherjee strongly advocated for Jammu & Kashmir to be a complete and integral part of India. At that time, Jammu & Kashmir had its separate flag and constitution, and the state’s Chief Minister considered himself as a Prime Minister. In 1952, during a massive rally in Jammu, Dr. Mukherjee declared his resolve:
> “I will ensure the implementation of the Indian Constitution in Jammu & Kashmir, or else I will sacrifice my life for this cause.”
In 1953, with the slogan “Ek desh mein do nishan, do vidhan, do pradhan nahi chalenge” (One nation cannot have two flags, two constitutions, or two Prime Ministers), he entered Jammu & Kashmir without a permit. Upon arrival, he was arrested by the state police, and on 23rd June 1953, he mysteriously died in custody.
Today, honoring his sacrifice, the central government under the leadership of Narendra Modi has abrogated Article 370 and 35A in Jammu & Kashmir.
At the remembrance event, various BJP leaders recalled Dr. Mukherjee’s life and ideals. Umarkote MLA and Odisha Government’s School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond attended the event as the chief guest. Other dignitaries included MP representative Ram Nayak, Minister’s representative Ashok Kumar Padhi, Mandal President Santosh Sharma, Legislative Assembly Constituency Coordinator Suresh Acharya, former Municipal Chairman Gopinath Sahu, Ward No. 10 Councillor Kanaklata Nayak, and many other leaders. The program was conducted by Prabhat Kumar Nayak, the BJP Town General Secretary.
Over a hundred BJP workers, including Babula Sahu, Santosh Sarkar, Sanat Thakur, Pradeep Mishra, Nrusingha Sahu, Milu Panda, Dukalu Meher, Ram Gond, participated and expressed their inspiration from Dr. Mukherjee’s life and principles.
At the conclusion of the program, several new members formally joined the BJP, expressing their inspiration from the party’s ideology and values.