Kolkata, Jul 7 (IANS): Claiming that justice was not done to Jan Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee, West Bengal Governor K.N. Tripathi on Monday demanded a probe to ascertain if the leader's death under "questionable circumstances" was natural.
Also present at an event here to mark Mookerjee's 115 birth anniversary, his Tripura counterpart Tathagata Roy expressed his "disgust" over "(then prime minister) Jawahar Lal Nehru refusing a probe into the death".
"Much like Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, there was injustice with Mookerjee. When things are kept secret and not come to the light, then they give way to many rumours. If Netaji's documents are publicized, the truth would be revealed.
"That's why, it is our demand that whether Mookerjee death was natural or unnatural, that must be revealed. The entire country said that he was killed in Kashmir, there has be to some basis of that belief," said Tripathi
Mookerjee was arrested for violating article 370 and died in detention on June 23, 1953, in Kashmir.
Referring to Netaji's disappearance and claims of prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri being "killed", Tripathi wondered the reasons behind these incidents being "covered up".
"What were the circumstances that led to Lal Bahadur Shastri's death, till today we don't know. His family still maintains he was killed. Why such incidents are covered up, is there an apprehension that someone else will take the lead. Is this a battle for one-upmanship," he asked.
Speaking at the event, Roy - also Mookerjee's biographer - attacked Nehru.
"Mookerjee died in Kashmir under very questionable circumstances. Despite Mookerjee's family pleading for a probe, Nehru refused to order an inquiry into his death. It is disgusting, I don't have strong words to condemn this," said Roy.
"There were two inquiries into Mahatma Gandhi's death, three inquiries into Netaji's disappearance but there was not a single probe into Mookerjee's death. This was because Nehru said 'I am satisfied and have come to honest conclusion there was no foul play in his death'," he added.