Syama Prasad Mookerjee

Book excerpt: Syama Prasad Mookerjee was the founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the predecessor of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He is undoubtedly one of the most iconic and controversial leaders in India's recent history. In spite of his significant political and ideological differences with Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr Mookerjee was inducted to the first cabinet of independent India. However, following the Delhi Pact between the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan, Dr Mookerjee resigned from the cabinet. His role during the Great Bengal Famine of 1943 and the Great Calcutta Killings and Noakhali Carnage of 1946 was historic. His premature death in custody--in Kashmir--remains one of the unsolved mysteries of India's political history. Dr Mookerjee was an educationist, politician and patriot who often opposed the official narratives of his time but fought consistently for India's independence and pre-eminent position in the world. His life has remained largely unexplored till now. This biography aims to rectify that omission by examining his life in detail and shedding light on the turbulent and contentious events of his times.