Today, September 25, is the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay - the messiah of the poor and Dalits and nationalist leader. The day is observed as 'Antyodaya Diwas' to mark the birth anniversary of Bharatiya Janata Party ideologue Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya. He was born on September 25, 1916, at Nagla Chandrabhaan village in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura district.
His father Bhagwati Prasad Upadhyay was an assistant station master in the Railways. Deendayal's parents died in his childhood. After completing his studies, Deendayal joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and devoted his entire life as a preacher of the Sangh. He was one of the founding members of Jan Sangh. He also became president of the Jana Sangh in December 1967.
His birthday is celebrated as 'Antyodaya Diwas'
Pandit Deendayal had given the slogan of Antyodaya. Antyodaya means that we ensure the upliftment and development of the last person in society. Deendayal was a firm believer that no country can develop by cutting itself off from its roots. He had stressed on understanding Indian nationalism, Hindu nationalism and Indian culture. Because of this idea of Deendayal, his birth anniversary (25 September) is celebrated as "Antyodaya Day." On September 25, 2014, on the occasion of the 98th birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, the Modi government had announced that his birth anniversary would be celebrated as 'Antyodaya Diwas'.
How did Deendayal Upadhyay join RSS?
In 1937, when Deendayal was pursuing his graduation from Kanpur, he came in contact with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh at the behest of his classmate Baluji Mahashabde. Later, he got the patronage of the founder of the Sangh, Dr Hedgewar and after his studies, he became a lifelong preacher of the Sangh. While being a Sangh pracharak, Deendayal became active in politics and when the first session of Jana Sangh was held in Kanpur in 1952, Deendayal became the General Secretary of this party.
Upadhyay was killed in 1968
Of the 15 resolutions passed in this session, at least seven were presented by Deendayal Upadhyay. During this time, Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee had said, If I get 2 Deendayals, I will change the map of Indian politics." Deendayal remained the president of Jan Sangh for only 43 days before he was killed at Mughalsarai station on the intervening night of February 10-11, 1968. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation team determined that Upadhyaya had been pushed out of the coach by robbers just before the train entered Mughalsarai station.
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