Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 22: Paying rich tributes to Dr Shayama Prasad Mukherji on the eve of his 66th -“Day of Martyrdom”, former Union Minister, Prof. Chaman Lal Gupta said that because of the supreme sacrifice of the towering Opposition leader of the country, many walls of separatism were demolished but his Kashmir mission was still incomplete.
Remembering Dr. Mukherji, Prof. Gupta recalled that Maharaja Hari Singh had signed the same Instrument of Accession of J&K with the Union of India which was signed by about 560 Rajas and Nawabs but it was unfortunate that some over smart elements made uncalled statements and when the Constitution of the country was at final stages, the Prime Minister, Jawahar Lal Nehru to appease his friend Sheikh Mohd Abdullah managed the incorporation of Article 370 despite Opposition by the then Law Minister, Dr. B.R Ambedkar. He assured the agitated nationalists that this was just a temporary measure and would wither away with the passage of time.
But in J&K the great visionary Pt. Prem Nath Dogra did not agree with this statement saying that evil did not vanish easily. Hence, led by Pt. Dogra, the J&K Praja Parishad launched a struggle facing all atrocities and hardships inflicted by the despotic rulers. As many as 16 youth were shot dead while hoisting the Tricolour of India in this part of the country, he added and recalled that when in 1953, a reign of high handedness let lose in the State, Dr. Mukherji decided to visit the State to see what was all happening. But on May 11, 1953, when Dr. Mukherji entered the State, he was arrested and detained at an isolated place on charges of defying the permit.
In those days there was permit system like that of visa for coming and going out of State.
During his detention without any trial, Dr. Mukherji died in circumstances shrouded in mystery but no inquiry was held despite demand by the aged mother.
Prof. Gupta said that after the sad demise of Dr. Mukherji and hard struggle of Pt. Dogra, several walls of separatism including permit system were abolished. The jurisdiction of Supreme Court, Election Commission and Comptroller and Auditor General of India were extended to the State also. The nomenclature of Sadar-e-Riyasat to Governor and that of Prime Minister were changed to the Chief Minister but much still remains to be done.
The temporary Article 370 still persisted in the statue book leading to the encouragement to the elements of separatism, he added and said that it was the duty of all the nationalists to complete the incomplete mission of Dr. Mukherji.
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