Nehru govt did not investigate 'mysterious' death of Mookerjee: Yeddyurappa

BJP state president and former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa Sunday charged the Congress with not investigating the "mysterious" death of Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee, when it was in power, despite a request from his family.

He was speaking at a function here to pay tributes to Mookerjee, who was also the first union industries minister, on his 66th death anniversary.

"He (Mookerjee) died under mysterious circumstances. The Congress government under Jawarhalal Nehru did not do any investigation. Nehru did not respond to the letter by Mookerjee's mother to probe her son's death," Yeddyurappa said.

Mookerjee had died in 1953 in Srinagar in police custody after he had entered the northern state, defying the requirement for obtaining a permit for doing so.

The then Congress government had said he had died due to medical reasons after his health conditions deteriorated in custody. The Jana Sangh, the precursor to BJP, had suspected a foul play and sought a probe.

The BJP leader alleged that Nehru "victimised" Mookerjee just like he did to the architect of constitution Dr B R Ambedkar and the first union home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

On abrogation of Article 370, he said everyone believed that the NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union home minister Amit Shah would take a definite decision on the matter and bring about change.

Article 370 grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir and limits Parliament's power to make laws concerning the state.

Yeddyurappa said the prevailing situation in Kashmir makes one understand how relevant Mookerjee's struggle was for abrogation of the Article 370.

"Mookerjee struggled inside and outside Parliament, seeking abrogation of Article 370," he said.