Bengaluru, Jun 23 (UNI) Senior BJP leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Monday paid glowing tributes to Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee on his birth anniversary, describing him as a great patriot and visionary who laid the ideological foundation for the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the forerunner of the BJP.

Yediyurappa said that Dr Mukherjee’s legacy remains deeply embedded in India's political history. “His iconic slogan - 'One Vidhan, One Pradhan, One Nishan' (One Constitution, One Head, One Emblem) - reflected his dream of a united India and his firm stand against the permit system in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

Dr Mukherjee was arrested during an agitation in 1953 and later martyred under suspicious circumstances. “His sacrifice continues to inspire millions of nationalists and youth across India. His political, educational, and cultural contributions live on,” Yediyurappa added.

The senior BJP leader also remembered Jaganathrao Joshi, another stalwart of the party, on his birth anniversary. Calling him a “Karnataka Kesri,” Yediyurappa noted that although Joshi hailed from Maharashtra, he learned Kannada and worked extensively to build the party in Karnataka.

“Joshi was a committed nationalist who tirelessly worked to spread patriotic values among the youth and society. His dedication to public service and ideology helped shape the political and social fabric of the state,” Yediyurappa said.

Tributes were paid to both leaders across the state as BJP workers and supporters commemorated their legacy.

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