WB CM announces plan to include Syama Prasad Mookerjee's contribution in school, university curriculum

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday said Syama Prasad Mookerjee's contributions in keeping West Bengal part of India and his vision of an undivided nation should be included in the state's school textbooks from the next academic year. Addressing an event to mark Mookerjee's 125th birth anniversary at Mitra Institution, where the BJP ideologue was a student, Adhikari said the school in Bhabanipur will be renovated with contributions from his MLA local area development fund.

Adhikari represents the Bhabanipur constituency in the West Bengal Assembly. He said that from the next academic year, textbooks should feature the Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder's contribution in the formation of West Bengal, views on patriotism and an undivided India, Parliament speeches, ministership at the Centre and his role as the vice-chancellor of Calcutta University. "These should be printed, taught and discussed from school to university levels," Adhikari said at the programme that was also attended by the state's school and higher education ministers.

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Mookerjee was a student of Mitra Institution from 1906 to 1917 and actively participated in the running of the school from 1924 to 1938, the chief minister said. "As an MLA of Bhabanipur and the chief minister, I have the responsibility for the betterment of the institution," Adhikari said. The chief minister said he has requested the school education minister to include Mitra Institution in the PM Shri programme for its renovation, keeping the building's heritage structure intact.

"I will allocate Rs 25 lakh for renovation of this school from my constituency development fund of Rs 1 crore for this financial year," he said, adding the fund will reach the Kolkata Municipal Corporation commissioner by August. "I also want that of the Rs 200 crore to be spent by the Information and Cultural Affairs department in celebrating Syama Prasad Mookerjee's 125th birth anniversary, some funds be allocated for this school," Adhikari said.

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The Bharatiya Jana Sangh was the precursor to the BJP. Born on July 6, 1901, Mookerjee died in detention in Srinagar on June 23, 1953. He had campaigned for the full integration of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of India by seeking the abrogation of Article 370, which was revoked by the Narendra Modi government on August 5, 2019.