Syama Prasad Mookerjee to become part of Bengal school syllabus from next academic year, says CM Adhikari

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said on Monday that Syama Prasad Mookerjee's contribution, his patriotism, and his role in nation-building in post-independence India and Bengal will be included in the school syllabus and taught in textbooks in West Bengal from the next academic year. He emphasized that it should be taught in the syllabus from schools up to the university level.

“From the next academic year, Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee's role in the history of West Bengal, his patriotism and nationalistic ideas, his contribution to an undivided India, and the way he made the inclusion of West Bengal into India possible will be taught in the textbooks in West Bengal,” the Chief Minister said while speaking at the Mitra Institution on the 125th birth anniversary of Mookerjee.

Adhikari spoke elaborately about Mookerjee’s speeches in the Legislative Assembly, his becoming a minister holding multiple portfolios, including that of Industry Minister in the Government of India, his contribution to nation-building in post-independence India, and his contribution to the expansion of education at Calcutta University. “I believe these topics should be published, read and studied by our current and future generations from the school syllabus right up to university,” the CM noted.


“As an alumnus of this school, Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee was associated with Mitra Institution School from 1906 to 1917. His role in the administrative management of this school from 1924 to 1938 was recalled by a senior teacher here,” the CM said.

The Mitra Institution school building will be renovated and modernized, the CM announced. “This school will be modernized under the PM SHRI scheme. I have requested the state school secretary to include the school in a scheme named after Atalji. I will contribute Rs 25 lakh for the development of the school from my Rs 1 crore MLA fund. This year, we will spend Rs 200 crore on statue construction and other work,” the CM said.

Today, a groundbreaking ceremony for a 125-foot statue will be held at Eco Park by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of Syama Prasad Mookerjee. “At the Milan Mela ground, the Union Home Minister will deliver his speech in the main programme,” Adhikari said.

In schools, today, Vande Mataram is sung during prayers. Syama Prasad will be remembered in every home in future, the state Chief Minister said.

“We are now living in West Bengal due to this iconic historical character. Otherwise, we would have been in erstwhile Pakistan. On June 20, 1947, the inclusion of West Bengal into India was made possible because of him. The present government will function on the principles of Syama Prasad Mookerjee,” the Bengal Chief Minister said.

Adhikari said that during the 34 years of Left rule and the 15-year regime of the Trinamool, an attempt was made to make people forget the sacrifice and contribution of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee.

The state government is celebrating the 125th birth anniversary of Mookerjee today in Kolkata and across districts, subdivisions, blocks and municipalities. One programme will be undertaken simultaneously everywhere at 3 pm. “In Kolkata, we will perform the 'Bhoomi Pujan' (groundbreaking ceremony) for a 125-foot-tall standing statue of this great man at a site adjacent to Eco Park in New Town. It will be done by Amit Shah,” he added.

The history of West Bengal—how West Bengal became part of India on June 20, 1947—needs to be known by the present and future generations, he said at another programme organized at the BJP party office on Muralidhar Sen Street. “The West Bengal government will function based on the ideology of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee. This government will be run on his principles and fulfil the dreams of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee and Swami Pranavananda,” the CM said.

The Chief Minister stated that, in a bid to preserve Mookerjee’s history, a committee has already been set up with the CM as the chairperson and the Chief Secretary as the member secretary.

There are ten members from the state government and ten members from outside, including distinguished experts. “The state government has allocated Rs 200 crore in the budget. His memories will be preserved. We will discuss with the Jharkhand government the preservation of his memories in Madhupur,” the CM added.