Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi today led a state-level commemoration of Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee’s Balidan Diwas at Jayadev Bhawan, paying glowing tributes to the legendary nationalist and urging the youth to embrace his “Nation First” (Rashtra Pratham) ideology to build a strong, prosperous, and united Odisha and India.
In his address, CM Majhi described Dr Mukherjee as a great son of Bharat Mata whose unparalleled sacrifice and vision continue to guide the nation. He highlighted how, at just 33, Dr Mukherjee became the youngest Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University and brought transformative changes in the education sector. His powerful slogan — “Ek desh mein do vidhan, do pradhan, do nishan nahi chalenge” — became a rallying cry for India’s unity and integrity during the Jammu & Kashmir movement.
The Chief Minister strongly criticised the Congress government’s appeasement politics and flawed policies that led to the imposition of Article 370, calling it a “black law” that caused decades of bloodshed, loss of innocent lives, and forced countless people to live like refugees in their own land. He termed Dr. Mukherjee’s mysterious death in jail — without any proper investigation by the then Congress government — as one of the most unfortunate chapters in Indian history.
Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decisive leadership, CM Majhi said the abrogation of Article 370 on 5 August 2019 fulfilled Dr Mukherjee’s dream of Akhand Bharat. “Today, one Constitution and one Tricolour fly proudly from Kashmir to Kanyakumari,” he noted. He added that Dr Mukherjee founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh on 21 October 1951, which has today grown into the world’s largest political party — the Bharatiya Janata Party — rooted in the principle of cultural nationalism. While previous governments ignored Dr Mukherjee’s sacrifice day, the present dispensation observes it as a matter of national duty, the Chief Minister said. He called upon citizens to remain vigilant against corrupt, anti-national, and dynastic forces that weaken both the state and the nation.
Odisha Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy said Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee was the true torchbearer of nationalist thought in the post-independence era and a genuine patriot who loved the country above party lines.
Former Rajya Sabha MP Dushyant Kumar Gautam and Ekamra MLA Babu Singh also shared their thoughts on the occasion. Additional Chief Secretary of the Information & Public Relations Department, Hemant Sharma, delivered the welcome address.
The event witnessed enthusiastic participation and served as a platform to inspire the younger generation with Dr Mukherjee’s ideals of sacrifice, integrity, and unwavering commitment to national unity.
