West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday urged that Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s role in forming the state and his ideas on national unity be added to school textbooks starting next academic year. He spoke at an event in Kolkata marking Mookerjee’s 125th birth anniversary.
The programme took place at Mitra Institution, where Mookerjee had studied. Adhikari announced that the school in Bhabanipur would receive renovation funds from his MLA local area development allocation.
He specified that the textbooks should cover the Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder’s contributions to West Bengal’s creation, his positions on patriotism and a united India, his parliamentary speeches, his time as a Union minister, and his service as vice-chancellor of Calcutta University.
“These should be printed, taught and discussed from school to university level,” Adhikari said.
Mookerjee attended Mitra Institution from 1906 to 1917 and helped manage the school between 1924 and 1938. As the MLA for Bhabanipur and Chief Minister, Adhikari stated he holds responsibility for improving the institution.
He requested the school education minister to include Mitra Institution in the PM Shri programme for upgrades while preserving its heritage features. Adhikari pledged Rs 25 lakh from his Rs 1 crore constituency fund for the current financial year, with funds to reach the Kolkata Municipal Corporation commissioner by August.
He also proposed allocating part of the Rs 200 crore set aside by the Information and Cultural Affairs department for the 125th anniversary celebrations toward the school’s renovation.
The Bharatiya Jana Sangh preceded the BJP. Mookerjee was born on July 6, 1901, and died in detention in Srinagar on June 23, 1953. He had advocated full integration of Jammu and Kashmir with India through removal of Article 370, which was later revoked on August 5, 2019.
