Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah. File
| Photo Credit: @Bhupendrapbjp/X via PTI
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday laid the foundation stone in Kolkata of a 125-foot statue of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh’s founder, Syama Prasad Mookerjee. The occasion was his 125th birth anniversary and Mr. Shah took the opportunity to praise the Suvendu Adhikari government.
Mr. Shah, who was visiting Kolkata for a day participated in the bhoomi pujan and laid the foundation stone in New Town. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari was present. He also offered tributes to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s ideological fountainhead at his birthplace in south Kolkata.
Later in the day, while speaking at an event, the Home Minister said, “Today, on the occasion of his 125th birth anniversary, the foundation stone for his 125-foot-tall statue was laid in West Bengal, a tribute to his enduring legacy”.
Mr. Shah, expressed his satisfaction that on the 125th birth anniversary of Syama Prasad Mookerjee there was a BJP government in West Bengal. He also referred to the abrogation of Article 370. “Today PM Modi fulfilled his pledge by abrogating Article 370; today, Kashmir is an integral part of India,” the Home Minister said.
BJP fulfilling promises
Mr. Shah said the Suvendu Adhikari government in West Bengal had lost no time in implementing promises made by the BJP, including implementation of the Annapurna Yojana, giving land to the BSF, and free travel for women in government buses. “We are fulfilling the promises we made in our Sankalp Patra during the Bengal elections,” he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also addressed the event through a video message and described Syama Prasad Mookerjee as a visionary, patriot, and champion of national unity.
“Today, the nation and West Bengal are remembering a great son of the soil, a great patriot who was dedicated to the integrity of India,” Mr. Modi said. The Prime Minister drew a connection between the Jana Sangh founder’s political struggles and several of the BJP’s signature policy decisions, including the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
Prasad in school curriculum
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said that the first call he received after taking over as the Chief Minister was from the Union Home Minister who said that a 125 feet statue should be installed on his 125th birth anniversary.
The Chief Minister hinted that the life of the Jana Sangh founder will feature in the West Bengal school curriculum. “Instead of making students read about how Tata was driven from Singur [included in the curriculum by the Trinamool Congress government], students should read about Syama Prasad Mookerjee,” he said.
Published – July 07, 2026 03:32 am IST
