By Chandan Singh | Page 3 News Worldwide | New Delhi
New Delhi: Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta on Monday paid tribute to Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his 125th birth anniversary, urging renewed efforts to honour nation-builders whose contributions have faded from public memory.
Addressing a commemorative programme organised by the Delhi Public Library under the Ministry of Culture at the Delhi Public Library headquarters in Chandni Chowk, Gupta said, “A nation’s historical consciousness is strengthened when it honours not only its celebrated heroes but also those whose contributions have faded from public memory.”
Speaking on the theme “Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee: The Man Who Challenged the Status Quo,” the Speaker described Mookerjee as a statesman who consistently placed national interest above political office. He noted that Mookerjee served as the Industry Minister in independent India’s first Union Cabinet despite not being a member of the Congress Party and joined the Cabinet at the suggestion of Mahatma Gandhi alongside B. R. Ambedkar to ensure broader national representation.
Gupta said Mookerjee’s resignation from the Union Cabinet over differences on the Jammu and Kashmir policy reflected his commitment to national unity, constitutional integrity and India’s sovereign identity. He added that Mookerjee’s public life demonstrated that leadership should be guided by conviction, courage and the larger national interest.
Recalling his recent visit to the border villages of Turtuk, Thang, Tyakshi and Chalunka in Ladakh, Gupta praised the patriotism of residents living along India’s frontiers and paid tribute to the sacrifices of the Indian Armed Forces during the 1971 war, saying the visit reaffirmed the enduring relevance of Mookerjee’s vision of a united and indivisible India.
The Speaker also highlighted the legacy of Ashutosh Mukherjee, father of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, for his contributions to higher education, university autonomy and the promotion of Indian languages. He noted that Mukherjee’s personal collection of nearly 80,000 books, later donated to the National Library, remains a symbol of India’s scholarly heritage.
Concluding his address, Gupta said the Delhi Legislative Assembly has launched an initiative to document and publish the lives of nearly 45 distinguished but under-recognised nation-builders, aiming to preserve India’s intellectual, cultural and constitutional heritage for future generations.
