Declare 'Ekta Sthal' as national memorial, urges BJP

BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia today urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare 'Ekta Sthal', memorial of Jana Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee at Madhopur on Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir border, as a national memorial.
'Ekta Sthal' should be declared as national memorial so that the coming generations can learn about Mukherjee who had played an important role in maintaining unity of the country, Kalia stated in a letter to the Prime Minister today.
"To end the permit system in Jammu and Kashmir, Mukherjee raised the slogan - Ek desh mein do vidhan, do pradhan aur do nishan nahin chalega (One country can't have two constitutions, two prime ministers and two national emblems) - and decided to enter the state without any permit," he said.

Later, Mukherjee was arrested when he moved out of Madhopur to enter Jammu and Kashmir, Kalia said, adding that he died as detenu in mysterious circumstances.
After Mukherjee's death, the Nehru government took back the permit system and jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and the Election Commission were extended to Jammu and Kashmir, he said.
Party veteran L K Advani in 2005 had expressed a similar desire following which the memorial was later constructed and inaugurated in 2010, he said.
Kalia stated that a copy of the letter has also been sent to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Advani.
Since the memorial is situated on the Pathankot-Jammu National Highway, an underpass should be constructed near it for the convenience of people, he added.