PM Modi Honours 98-Year-Old Makhanlal Sarkar, Veteran Who Joined Syama Prasad Mukherjee’s Kashmir Movement

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met and honoured veteran BJP worker Makhanlal Sarkar, touched his feet during his visit to West Bengal. The Prime Minister felicitated the 98-year-old leader and sought his blessings, calling attention to his decades-long contribution to nationalist politics in India.

The emotional moment became one of the highlights of the day as BJP leaders and workers gathered for the swearing-in ceremony of the party's first government in West Bengal.

A Veteran Linked To Early Nationalist Movements

Makhanlal Sarkar is regarded as one of the oldest and most respected grassroots BJP supporters in West Bengal. His political journey goes back to the early years after India's Independence.

#WATCH | Kolkata | PM Modi felicitates and takes blessings of Makhanlal Sarkar, one of the most senior workers of the BJP in West Bengal.

In 1952, Makhanlal Sarkar was arrested in Kashmir while accompanying Syama Prasad Mukherjee during the movement to hoist the Indian… pic.twitter.com/gpmLISKYZ5

— ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2026

According to BJP leaders, Sarkar had actively participated in nationalist movements during the 1950s. In 1952, he was arrested in Kashmir while accompanying Syama Prasad Mukherjee during a movement related to hoisting the Indian tricolour in the region.

The movement later became an important chapter in the history of nationalist politics in India. Syama Prasad Mukherjee's role in Kashmir politics is still remembered by BJP leaders and supporters across the country.

PM Modi Seeks Blessings

During the interaction, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warmly greeted Makhanlal Sarkar and honoured him for his lifelong dedication to the nationalist cause. The Prime Minister was seen bowing before the elderly BJP worker and taking his blessings.

The gesture drew appreciation from party supporters, many of whom described it as a sign of respect for senior grassroots workers who helped build the organisation over several decades.

Photos of the meeting quickly went viral on social media, with BJP leaders sharing messages about Sarkar's contribution to the party's ideological roots.

A Symbol Of BJP's Long Political Journey In Bengal

The meeting also carried symbolic importance as BJP formed the government in West Bengal for the first time. Many party leaders said the honour given to Makhanlal Sarkar reflected the BJP's effort to recognise workers who remained connected to the party and nationalist movements for decades, even during politically difficult times in the state.

At 98 years of age, Sarkar is seen by many BJP supporters as a living link to the early nationalist struggles that shaped post-Independence Indian politics.

BJP Begins New Chapter In West Bengal

The felicitation took place on the same day when Suvendu Adhikari was set to take oath as the new Chief Minister of West Bengal at Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata.
Senior BJP leaders, including Amit Shah, were present in Kolkata for the historic ceremony.

For many BJP supporters, PM Modi's interaction with Makhanlal Sarkar served as a reminder of the party's long ideological journey - from grassroots movements in the early years after Independence to forming its first government in West Bengal decades later.