Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], July 6 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party National President Nitin Nabin on Monday said the ruling government had fulfilled Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee's dream of "one Constitution, one leader and one symbol" for the country through the abrogation of Article 370, asserting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had realised the Jana Sangh founder's vision for Jammu and Kashmir.
Eminent nationalist thinker Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh on October 21, 1951, the ideological predecessor of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Nabin paid floral tributes to Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee along with Union Minister Jitendra Singh, Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Sat Sharma, BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh and other party leaders.
Addressing a commemoration function on the 125th birth anniversary of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee in Jammu, Nabin said the occasion symbolised the BJP's commitment to Mookerjee's ideals of national unity and integrity.
"Today is a special day for all BJP workers and for Jammu & Kashmir. Today is the birth anniversary of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee. We remember his struggles, but it is the BJP that fulfilled the vision he had for Jammu & Kashmir," Nabin said.
"The dream that Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee envisioned was that there would be one constitution, one leader, and one symbol in the country. Today, our leader, PM Narendra Modi, has fulfilled that dream," he added.
Nabin said Dr Mookerjee had dedicated his life to the unity of the country and that his vision for Jammu and Kashmir had been realised after years of struggle by BJP workers.
"Today's day holds special significance for every BJP worker and for Jammu and Kashmir. Today, we are celebrating the birth anniversary of our inspiration, Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Ji. He dedicated his all for the unity and integrity of the nation," he said.
"The dream he envisioned for Jammu and Kashmir was realised through the years of struggle by millions of BJP workers. Today, his birth anniversary is not merely a remembrance, but a symbol of our unwavering commitment to his ideals, resolve, and service to the nation," Nabin added.
Recalling the situation in Jammu and Kashmir before 2014, Nabin alleged that previous governments opposed the hoisting of the national flag in Kashmir.
"When the Congress government was in power in Delhi, the then Jammu & Kashmir administration claimed that if the Indian national flag were hoisted there, peace would come to an end. But today, under PM Modi's leadership, the Indian national flag flies proudly at Lal Chowk in Kashmir," he said.
He further said, "To those who ask what has changed in Jammu and Kashmir, I want to tell them that earlier, people used to be afraid to hoist the tricolor at Lal Chowk in Kashmir; no one had the courage to do so. In 2014, when Shri Modi ji became the country's Prime Minister, that same Lal Chowk in Kashmir now remains adorned with the fluttering tricolour--this is the change that has come."
Highlighting what he described as a transformation in the Union Territory, Nabin said, "Before 2014, the youth of Kashmir were often associated with stone-pelting. Today, I feel proud when they win Ranji matches and bring honour to the whole of Jammu & Kashmir. This is the vision of PM Modi, who has consistently encouraged and promoted sports."
Speaking to reporters after the event, Nabin said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi resolved to ensure a secure life for the people of this country. I believe the people of this country now have a Prime Minister who is deeply committed to their security and development. Consider the youth of Jammu and Kashmir: until recently, they were known as 'stone-pelters,' but today, they are recognised as Ranji Trophy champions."
Nabin also credited the PM Modi government for the abrogation of Article 370. "Modi ji has done the work of giving real freedom to the people here by removing Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir and has fulfilled the dream of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee ji," he said.
He further claimed that under the Modi government's leadership, "250 million people of the country have risen above the poverty line," adding that Jammu and Kashmir was also progressing on the path of development.
Nabin urged young people to take inspiration from Dr Mookerjee's life and contribute towards the development of Jammu and Kashmir.
"I had come to urge the youth to protect the soil of Jammu & Kashmir and fulfil the vision of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee. Young people should learn from him and draw inspiration from the struggles he endured throughout his life," he said.
Later, the BJP National President also chaired a party office bearers' meeting in the Jammu office. (ANI)
