The Life and Death of Syama Prasad Mukherjee

How one man laid the foundation for the abrogation of Article 370 and the mystery surrounding his demise

Syama Prasad Mukherjee (stylized Mookerjee in many places) was one of the first leaders of the precursors to the RSS and BJP — Hindu Mahasabha and Jan Sangh.

Although he was part of the first cabinet of the late Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the two did not really see eye-to-eye on many matters, foremost of them being the application of Section 370 on Kashmir. In the initial years of Independence, Kashmir, apart from having their own separate flag and constitution, also had a separate Prime Minister, the “Sadr-e-riyasat”. Mukherjee strongly opposed this citing that there cannot be true integration of Kashmir as long as it is governed by Article 370.

His slogan, “Ek desh mein do vidhan, do pradhan, aur do nishan nahi chalenge” (“We will not allow two constitutions, two heads of state, and two emblems in one country”), became the hallmark of the movement that stirred throughout India starting in 1948, peaking in 1952, and sustaining till his controversial death in captivity in 1953.

On 26 June 1952, he gave a rousing speech in the parliament calling for the total abrogation of the special status and for proper integration of…