Narendra Modi pays tributes to Syama Prasad Mookerjee

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today paid tributes to Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his death anniversary and said his thoughts and ideals continue to inspire greatly.

"On his Punya Tithi (death anniversary), I bow to Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee. He spent his life in service of the nation. His thoughts & ideals inspire us greatly," Modi said in a tweet.

The BJP is a successor party of BJS, which merged itself into Janata Party in 1977. BJP was formed as a separate party later in 1980 after internal differences in the Janata Party resulted in the collapse of its government in 1979.

Mookerjee is known for his stance opposing Article 370, which confers special provisions with regard to the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

He was arrested on May 11, 1953 when he entered J&K without a permit which was required then to go there. He later died as detenu on June 23.