SYAMA PRASAD MOOKERJEE
Founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh
Born on 6th July 1901 in a famous family. His father Sir Asutosh was widely known in Bengal. Graduated from CalcuttaUniversity he became a fellow of the Senate in 1923. He enrolled as an advocate in Calcutta High Court in 1924 after his father's death. Subsequently he left for England in 1926 to study in Lincoln's Inn and became a barrister in 1927. At the age of 33, he became the world's youngest Vice-Chancellor of the CalcuttaUniversity and held the office till 1938. During his tenure, he introduced a number of constructive reforms and was active in Asiatic Society of Calcutta as well as was a member of the Court and the Council of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and Chairman of the Inter-University of Board.
He was elected as member of the Legislative Council of Bengal as a Congress candidate representing Calcutta University but resigned next year when Congress decided to boycott the legislature. Subsequently, he contested the election as an independent and got elected. He became the opposition leader when Krishak Praja Party - Muslim League coalition was in power 1937-41 and joined the Progressive Coalition Ministry headed by FazlulHaq as a Finance Minister and within less than an year resigned. He emerged as a spokesman for Hindus and shortly joined Hindu Mahasabha and in 1944, he became the President.
After the assassination of Gandhiji, he wanted the Hindu Mahasabha not to be restricted to Hindus alone or work as apolitical body for the service of masses and broke away from it on this issue on November  23, 1948.
Pandit Nehru inducted him in the Interim Central Government as a Minister for Industry and supply. On issue of Delhi pact with Likayat Ali Khan, Mookerjee resigned from the Cabinet on 6th  April 1950. After consultation with ShriGolwalkarGuruji of RSS ShriMookerjee founded Bharatiya Jana Sangh on 21st Oct. 1951 at Delhi and he became the first President of it. In 1952 elections, Bharatiya Jana Sangh won 3 seats in Parliament one of them being that of ShriMookerjee. He had formed National Democratic Party within the Parliament which consisted 32 members of MPs and 10 of Members of RajyaSabha which however was not recognised by the speaker as an opposition party.
To voice his opposition he turned outside Parliament and on Kashmir he termed the arrangement under Article 370 as Balkanisation of India and three nation theory of Shaikh Abdullah. Bharatiya Jana Sangh along with Hindu Mahasabha and Ram RajyaParishad launched a massive Satyagraha to get removed the pernicious provisions. Mookerjee went to visit Kashmir in 1953 and was arrested on 11th May while crossing border. He died as detenu on May  23, 1953.
Coins in Memory of S P Mookerjee (2001)
Hundred Rupees Coin of Quarternary Alloy, Circular in shape (44 mm dia.) weighing 35 gms.

Fifty Rupees Coin of Cupro Nickel Alloy, Circular in shape (39 mm dia.) weighing 30 gms.
Ten Rupees Coin of Cupro Nickel Alloy, Circular in shape (31 mm dia.) weighing 12.5 gms.
Two Rupees Coin of Cupro Nickel Alloy, Eleven sided 26 mm size from flat to crest weighing 6 gms.
Courtsy: BJP.org
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