By Saibal Gupta

Kolkata, Aug 15 (IANS): In the first week of August 1947, we came to know that my second uncle Shyama Prasad Mukjerjee is going to be a minister in the cabinet of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru with an effect from August 15, 1947, where I and the other members of my family accompanied my uncle to celebrate the first Independence of the nation, on the 75th Independence Day, recalls Justice (retd) Chittatosh Mookerjee who was then 18 years old and a student of Presidency College and later became Chief Justice of the Bombay and Calcutta High Court.

On the evening of August 14, I sat in the visitor's gallery of the constituent assembly. I found the members of the assembly entering the halls and taking their seats. The session began at about 11 p.m. and Sucheta Kriplani sang "Vande Mataram".

Rajendra Prasad was in the chair of the President of the Constituent Assembly. Pandit Nehru wore a red rose in his buttonhole. Few minutes before 12 a.m., Rajendra Prasad made a speech. Thereafter Pandit Nehru made his famous 'Tryst with Destiny' speech. We knew that India assumed full independent power – moved the motion regarding the pledge by the members of the Constituent Assembly.

The motion was seconded, the lone Choudhari Khaliquzzaman, a Muslim League leader from Uttar Pradesh, later left for Pakistan. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan delivered his speech before midnight and spoke about India's unique achievement.

Thereafter at the stroke of midnight, the President and all the members of the Constituent Assembly stood up and took the pledge. The President read the pledge sentence by sentence and the members repeated it either in English or in Hindi. After taking the pledge on the proposal of the President the House assumed the power of the governance of India and endorsed the recommendation of Lord Mountbatten – the Governor General of India on August 15, 1947.

The session came to an end with the presentation of the National flag by Srimati Hansa Mehta and singing of the National Song, "Sare Jahan se Achcha" and "Jana Gana Mana" by Sucheta Kriplani. The session ended and we came out with the feeling that after all we became Independent.

The swearing in ceremony was also in the morning and there were 22 ministers in the Nehru cabinet. My uncle was the industries and supplies minister till he resigned on April 6, 1950, over disagreement with Nehru on signing the Delhi Pact with Pakistan Prime mInister Liaquat Ali. However, Mukherjee didn't attend the swearing in ceremony.

In the afternoon, I recall, in an open ground possibly near Red Fort we were seated on the ground for the flag hoisting ceremony. Pandit Nehru, I recall, accompanied by Lady Mountbatten arrived in a horse-drawn carriage and hoisted the Indian National flag and left soon thereafter.

In the evening, Governor General Mountbatten hosted a party at the ViceRegal Lodge. I was fortunate enough to attend the party. Large number of people from all walks of life had come to the evening party. We had a party. We were more than overjoyed. I also recall that Lord Mountbatten, Lady Mountbatten and Pandit Nehru stood at the first floor and shook hands with all who passed by them.