Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has announced plans to build a grand 125-foot statue dedicated to Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee in Kolkata, marking the 125th birth anniversary of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder.
The proposed memorial project is expected to include a statue, a memorial space and a library, aimed at honouring Mookerjee’s political legacy and his contribution to India’s national discourse. The announcement places Kolkata at the centre of a major commemorative initiative for one of Bengal’s most prominent political figures.
Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee, who founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh in 1951, is remembered by supporters as a strong nationalist voice and a key figure in the political movement that later shaped the Bharatiya Janata Party. His views on national integration, particularly his opposition to Article 370 and the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, remain central to the BJP’s ideological narrative.
Adhikari also highlighted Mookerjee’s role during the Partition period, stating that he played an important part in ensuring that Bengal’s western region remained within India. The proposed statue is being positioned not merely as a monument, but as a symbolic reminder of Bengal’s place in India’s political and cultural history.
The 125-foot structure, once completed, is expected to become one of Kolkata’s major political landmarks. For a city already rich with statues, memorials and history at almost every traffic signal, this one is likely to arrive with both scale and statement.
The project also comes at a time when Bengal’s political identity continues to be sharply debated, with parties frequently invoking historical figures to frame present-day narratives. Through this memorial, the state government aims to place Mookerjee’s legacy prominently in Kolkata’s public memory.
Further details on the project’s location, construction timeline and estimated cost are expected to be announced in due course.
