Agartala, July 6:
Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha on Monday said the ideals and vision of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee are being translated into reality under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while urging people, especially the younger generation, to learn about the life and contributions of the Jan Sangh founder.
Dr. Saha was addressing a programme organised at Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Town Hall in Agartala to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Dr. Mukherjee. The Chief Minister along with Agartala Mayor Dipak Majumder and other dignitaries also laid the foundation stone and performed the Bhumi Pujan for the installation of a statue of Dr. Mukherjee at the Town Hall premises.
Recalling Dr. Mukherjee’s contribution to nation-building, the Chief Minister alleged that for many years after Independence, efforts were made to keep the lives and ideologies of leaders such as Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya away from public knowledge. He said that after 2014, greater emphasis has been placed on highlighting the contributions of such national figures who dedicated their lives to the country.
“The ideas and vision that Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee cherished during his lifetime are today being implemented under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Dr. Saha said.
The Chief Minister described Dr. Mukherjee as the founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh in 1951, the ideological predecessor of the BJP, and said the party has grown into the world’s largest political organisation because of its guiding principle of putting the nation above politics.
“The BJP’s ideology is ‘Nation First, Politics Later’. That is the path shown by Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee,” he said, adding that under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership India has earned greater respect and recognition on the global stage, including during its G20 presidency.
Referring to Dr. Mukherjee’s role in Parliament, Dr. Saha said he believed in constructive criticism and held governments accountable while always placing national interest above partisan politics.
“The role of the Opposition in a democracy is to question the government constructively and raise issues concerning the people and the nation. If there are shortcomings in governance, they should be pointed out so that governments can correct them and learn from those observations,” he said.
The Chief Minister said Dr. Mukherjee’s parliamentary legacy and farsighted statesmanship continue to inspire democratic values and constructive political discourse.
Appealing to the people of Tripura to study Dr. Mukherjee’s life in greater depth, Dr. Saha said every aspect of his life offers valuable lessons for society and future generations.
“We should ensure that the ideals, philosophy and contributions of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee are preserved and passed on to the next generation. In the modern era, we often know more about personalities from abroad than about many great sons of our own country,” he said.
Highlighting Dr. Mukherjee’s academic achievements, Dr. Saha noted that he became the youngest Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta at the age of 33, at a time when the institution was regarded among the finest universities in the world and often compared with Oxford University.
The programme was attended by ministers, legislators, senior BJP leaders, government officials and party workers who paid floral tributes to Dr. Mukherjee on the occasion of his 125th birth anniversary.
