Shyama Prasad Mukherjee was born in a Bengali Hindu Family on 6th July 1901 in Calcutta(Kolkata). His Father was Ashutosh Mukherjee, a judge of the High Court of Calcutta, Bengal, who was also Vice – Chancellor of the University of Calcutta. His mother was Jogamaya Devi Mukherjee.
He enrolled in Bhawanipur’s Mitra Institution in 1906 and his behaviour in school was later described favourably by his teachers. In 1914 he passed his matriculation examination and was admitted into Presidency College.
CAREER LIFE
He stoodseventeenth in the Inter Arts Examination in 1916 and graduated in English, securing the first position in first class in 1921.
He was married to Sudha Devi on 16th April 1922. He also completed an M.A in Bengali, being graded as first class in 1923.
In 1923 he went to London to complete the Law Degree. After completing the Law Degree he came back to Calcutta(Kolkata) in 1926.
He enrolled as an advocate in Calcutta High Court in 1926.At the age of 33, he became the youngest Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta, he held the Vice-Chancellor position until 1938.
POLITICAL CAREER
Shyama Prasad Mukherjee started his political career in 1929, when he entered the Bengal Legislative Council as an Indian National Congress (INC) candidate representing Calcutta University.
However, he resigned the next year when the INC decided to boycott the legislature. In 1937 he joined the Krishak Praja Party and was elected as an independent candidate in the elections and won in a large number.All India Muslim League coalition tp power.
During his tenure, his statements against the government were censored and his movements were restricted.
HINDU MAHASABHA
Shyama Prasad Mukherjee joined theHindu Mahasabha in Bengal in 1939 and he was appointed as the working president of the organisation in 1940.
He was elected as the President of Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha in 1943. He remained in the position till 1946, with Laxman Bhopatkar becoming the new President in the same year.
Shyama Prasad Mukherjee demanded the partition of Bengal in 1946 to prevent the inclusion of its Hindu-majority areas in a Muslim-dominated East Pakistan wrote a letter to Lord Mountbatten telling him that Bengal must be partitioned even if India was not.
RESIGNATION
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru inducted Shyama Prasad Mukherjee into the Interim Central Government as a Minister for Industry and Supply on 15th August 1947.
Shyama Prasad Mukherjee began to have differences with Mahasabha after the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, in which the organisation was blamed by Sardar Patel for creating the atmosphere that led to the killing.
He resigned along with K.C.Neogy from the Cabinet on 8th April 1950 over a disagreement about the 1950 Delhi Pact with Pakistani Prime Minister Liaquat Ali khan.
BHARATIYA JANA SANGHA
After consultation with M.S.Golwalkar of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh(RSS). He founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh(BJS) on 21st October 1951 in Delhi, becoming its first President.
In the 1952 elections the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) won 3 seats in the Parliament of India, including Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.
The Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) was created with the objective of nation building and “Nationalising” all Non-Hindus by “Inculcating Bharatiya Culture” in them. The Party was ideologically close to the RSS and widely considered the proponent of Hindu Nationalism.
He was also the President of Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha from 1943 to 1946. He was strongly opposed to Article 370 seeing it as a threat to unity.
DEATH
He was arrested upon entering Kashmir on 11th May 1953. He and two of his arrested companions were first taken to Central Jail of Srinagar.
Later they were transferred to a cottage outside the city. His condition started critical and he started feeling pain in his back and high temperature on the night between 19 and 20 of June.
On 22 June, he felt pain in the heart region, started perspiring and started feeling like he was fainting. He was later shifted to a hospital and provisionally diagnosed with a heart attack. On 23rd of June he declared death under mysterious circumstances.
FAQ on Shyama Prasad Mukherjee
Q1: Who was Shyama Prasad Mukherjee? A: Shyama Prasad Mukherjee was a prominent Indian politician, barrister, and academician. He is best known as the founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, which later evolved into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He was also a strong advocate for Indian nationalism and opposed the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370.
Q2: When and where was Shyama Prasad Mukherjee born? A: Shyama Prasad Mukherjee was born on 6th July 1901 in Calcutta (now Kolkata), Bengal, in a Bengali Hindu family. His father, Ashutosh Mukherjee, was a judge of the High Court of Calcutta and the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta. His mother was Jogamaya Devi Mukherjee.
Q3: What were the key achievements in Shyama Prasad Mukherjee’s academic career? A: Shyama Prasad Mukherjee enrolled in Bhawanipur’s Mitra Institution in 1906 and later passed his matriculation examination in 1914. He graduated in English with first-class honors in 1921 and completed his M.A. in Bengali with first-class honors in 1923. He also earned a law degree from London in 1926 and became the youngest Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta at the age of 33, serving until 1938.
Q4: What was Shyama Prasad Mukherjee’s role in Indian politics? A: Shyama Prasad Mukherjee started his political career in 1929 as a member of the Bengal Legislative Council representing Calcutta University. He later joined the Hindu Mahasabha and became its President from 1943 to 1946. He founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) in 1951 and served as its first President. He was a Member of Parliament and a strong opponent of Article 370, advocating for the full integration of Jammu and Kashmir into India.
Q5: Why did Shyama Prasad Mukherjee resign from the Indian National Congress? A: Shyama Prasad Mukherjee resigned from the Indian National Congress in 1930 when the party decided to boycott the legislature. He later joined the Hindu Mahasabha and played a significant role in the political landscape of Bengal and India.
Q6: What was Shyama Prasad Mukherjee’s stance on the partition of Bengal? A: In 1946, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee demanded the partition of Bengal to prevent the inclusion of Hindu-majority areas in a Muslim-dominated East Pakistan. He wrote a letter to Lord Mountbatten, arguing that Bengal must be partitioned even if India was not.
Q7: What led to Shyama Prasad Mukherjee’s resignation from the Central Government in 1950? A: Shyama Prasad Mukherjee resigned from the Central Government on 8th April 1950, along with K.C. Neogy, over a disagreement about the Delhi Pact with Pakistani Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan. He had differences with the Indian government regarding the treatment of Hindus in Pakistan and the terms of the pact.
Q8: What was the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, and what were its objectives? A: The Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) was founded by Shyama Prasad Mukherjee on 21st October 1951 in Delhi. The BJS aimed at nation-building and “nationalizing” non-Hindus by inculcating Bharatiya culture in them. The party was ideologically close to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and was a proponent of Hindu nationalism.
Q9: How did Shyama Prasad Mukherjee die? A: Shyama Prasad Mukherjee was arrested upon entering Kashmir on 11th May 1953. He was taken to the Central Jail of Srinagar and later transferred to a cottage outside the city. He started experiencing severe pain and high fever on the night of 19-20 June. On 22nd June, he felt severe pain in his heart and was shifted to a hospital, where he was provisionally diagnosed with a heart attack. He died under mysterious circumstances on 23rd June 1953.
Q10: What is Shyama Prasad Mukherjee’s legacy in Indian politics? A: Shyama Prasad Mukherjee is remembered as a pioneer of Hindu nationalism and a key figure in the Indian independence movement. His efforts to integrate Jammu and Kashmir into India and his opposition to Article 370 are particularly notable. The Bharatiya Jana Sangh, which he founded, eventually evolved into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), one of India’s major political parties. His legacy continues to influence Indian politics today.
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