On 6 July 2026, India commemorated the 125th birth anniversary of Dr Syama Prasad Mukherjee, endearingly referred to as Syama Babu. He passed away in the early hours of 23 June 1953. He was just 52. A member of Lok Sabha, he was part of independent India’s first cabinet headed by Prime Minister Nehru. From 15 August 1947 to 6 April 1950, he served as Union Minister of Industry and Supply. When his differences with Prime Minister Nehru grew, he resigned from the Cabinet.

In 1951, he founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and served as its President till 1952. He is remembered till date as a prominent opposition leader. In May 1953, he was detained without any trial by the Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) government; the story of his tragic death, its mysterious circumstances and unanswered questions continue to haunt. From the National Archives of India, and through several inquiry reports released by the government, details of Syama Babu’s journey to J&K may be recounted. His train steamed out of Delhi Railway Station in the morning of 8 May 1953, beginning his journey to Punjab, enroute Jammu.

Vaidya Gurudatta (Delhi Jan Sangh Chief), Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Tek Chand (party worker from Dehradun) accompanied him in the same compartment. His purpose of going to Jammu was to partake in the Satyagrah movement of Praja Parishad Party of Jammu which demanded a complete integration of J&K with the Indian Union. The Satyagrah had continued in Jammu for six months leading to more than 2,500 arrested and 30 killed in police firing. Syama Babu deliberately did not apply for an entry permit into J&K, which was mandatory.

He took a stand that the government of India was not entitled to prevent his entry into any part of the Indian Union, which according to Nehru, included J&K. He kept Sheikh Abdullah informed of his visit. From Ambala, Syama Babu motored to Karnal, Panipat, Phagwara and thenceforth to Jalandhar, then entraining for Amritsar. The Deputy Commissioner, Gurdaspur, who was travelling with him in the same compartment disclosed that the Punjab government had decided not to allow him to reach Pathankot. Instructions were to be issued for Syama Babu’s arrest. Vaidya Gurudatta and Tek Chand had been selected to look after Syama Babu in the event of his arrest.

Soon after........

© The Statesman