It is intriguing that after so many years of its formation and having been out of power for more than a decade the Panthers Party, has finally discovered that Dr. Shyama Prasad Mookherjee was a great nationalist leader of the country and had laid down his life for the complete integration of the state with the country. It is a matter of satisfaction that Panthers Party members have paid tributes to the great leader on his death anniversary and endorsed the Praja Parishad’s struggle of 1953 of “Ek Nishan, Ek Vidhan, Ek Pradhan” and what it stood for since then. The BJP had been, since 1952 paying respects to Dr. Shyama Prasad Mookherjee and holds him in great reverence. His legacy forms the part of BJP’s hoary historical struggle for the integrity and strong India.
This was stated by BJP State General Secretary Dr. Narinder Singh while commenting on the reported paying of homage to Dr. Mookherjee at Lakhanpur by Panthers Party men. He said that though by publically and belatedly recognizing the imminence of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mookherjee, the Panthers Party and its leadership cannot become the champions of cause of nationalist forces of the state. Since the time the Panthers Party came into existence, till this year Dr. Mookherjee did not exist for it and his sacrifice during his incarceration in jail held no significance for it and now suddenly discovering his greatness only exposes the facile nature of their tributes to him.
The Supremo of JKNPP Prof. Bhim Singh remained the President of NSUI and had long association with the Congress and NC parties, who never endorsed the philosophy of Dr. Mookherjee nor recognized his sacrifice and now suddenly paying homage to him only reveal the duplicity of their conduct and is meant merely to remain in media radar.
Harsh Dev Singh also had remained a Cabinet Minister in the state when the party had entered into coalition with Congress and PDP and at that time Harshdev Singh had forgotten Panthers Party’s demand of reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir state. He never raised any of the issues in the cabinet and the government on which his party had fought the elections.
Dr. Narinder Singh further added that apart from holding ‘Balidaan Divas’ programmes at state, district and mandal levels, the BJP MLAs for the first time brought the sacrifice of Dr. Mookherjee in the notice of legislative assembly and paid rich tributes to him there. The BJP does not need certificate of approval and recognition from outfits like Panthers Party which has always been rank opportunist motivated by power considerations. He also said that by pretending to be the admirers of Dr. Mookherjee the Panthers Party cannot join the ranks of those forces which had been for the full and complete integration of the state with the rest of the country.
