Lal Bahadur Srivastava Shastri
(लालबहादुर शास्त्री)
2 October 1904 – 11 January 1966
Lal Bahadur Shastri was the third Prime Minister of Independent India and a significant figure in the Indian independence movement.
A short man. A lean body. Eyes wide as the wheels of a cart. His clothes were simple, his voice soft and almost inaudible. But there was always a smile, which overarched his words. There was not the slightest sign of pride or authority in his bearing. Could he administer a nation of five hundred million people, doubted some.
Shastriji never praised himself. On the contrary he used to say: "I am an ordinary man and not a very bright man." He never aspired to power. He never worked for it.
And yet power and authority came in search of him. Fame set a crown on his head. The short man grew into a colossus. He showed by his work that, though he was tender like a flower, he could be hard as diamond, too.
Two qualities, which the leader of any nation must have, are: "Devotion and Efficiency". Shastriji had both the qualities in a large measure. He would not swerve from his aim, come what may. When the people of India were fighting for freedom he brushed aside all thought of personal happiness and plunged into the freedom struggle. His daughter's death, his son's illness, poverty - none of these made him swerve from his selected path. Even when he became a minister and later, the Prime Minister he was never attracted to a life of luxury and comfort.
In his first broadcast as Prime Minister, on 11 June 1964, Shastriji stated:
"There comes a time in the life of every nation when it stands at the cross-roads of history and must choose which way to go. But for us there need be no difficulty or hesitation, no looking to right or left. Our way is straight and clear—the building up of a socialist democracy at home with freedom and prosperity for all, and the maintenance of world peace and friendship with all nations."
Strong and Self-respecting
Courage and self-respect were two virtues, which took deep root in him from his childhood. Though Shastriji was, a man of small build, he was unusually strong. His moral strength was even greater. Shastriji acquired virtues like - boldness, love of adventure, patience, self-control, courtesy and selflessness in his childhood.
Even as a boy he loved to read books. He read whatever books he came across. He was fond of Guru Nanak's verses. Shastriji used to repeat the following lines often:
"0 Nanak! Be tiny like grass, For other plants will whither away, but grass will remain ever green."
Like the grass he always looked fresh and smiling.
'Jai Jawan; Jai Kisan'
'Jai Jawan; Jai Kisan' was a slogan given to India by Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1965. It means - 'Hail the soldier and Hail the farmer'. Soon after Shastriji took over the Prime Ministership, India was attacked by Pakistan. At the same time there was scarcity of foodgrains in country. Shastriji gave the slogan to enthuase the soldiers to defend India and simultaneously cheering farmers to do their best to increase the production of foodgrains to reduce dependence on import. It became a very popular slogan.
'Force will be met with force'
Addressing the nation on 13th August 1965, Shastriji referred to Pakistan's threats and said, "Force will be met with force." Two days later, during the celebration of Independence day, he declared from the ramparts of the Red Fort: "It does not matter if we are destroyed. We will fight to the last to maintain the high honor of the Indian nation and its flag."
Shastriji was a secularist who refused to mix religion with politics. In a public meeting held at the Ram Lila grounds in Delhi, he complained against a BBC report which claimed that Shastri's identity as a Hindu meant that he was ready for a war with Pakistan. He stated:
"While I am a Hindu, Mir Mushtaq who is presiding over this meeting is a Muslim. Mr. Frank Anthony who has addressed you is a Christian. There are also Sikhs and Parsis here. The unique thing about our country is that we have Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Parsis and people of all other religions. We have Temples and Mosques, Gurdwaras and Churches. But we do not bring all this into politics. This is the difference between India and Pakistan. Whereas Pakistan proclaims herself to be an Islamic State and uses religion as a political factor, we Indians have the freedom to follow whatever religion we may choose, and worship in any way we please. So far as politics is concerned, each of us is as much an Indian as the other."
Shastriji is Immortal
Shastriji had suffered heart attacks twice before. And during the period of the Pakistan war and the following days, his body, already battered, had to bear a very heavy strain. He signed the joint Declaration on 10th January 1966. He died the same night. Gone was the war hero and the messenger of peace, gone was the great statesman who restored to India her honor and self- respect in the assembly of nations. A tiny, tidy figure. A soul that had lived in perfect purity of thought, word and deed. The very embodiment of selflessness, detachment and simplicity.
Shastriji was known for his honesty and humility throughout his life. He was the first person to be posthumously awarded the "Bharat Ratna", and a memorial "Vijay Ghat" was built for him in Delhi. More than thirty years of dedicated service were behind Lal Bahadur Shastri. In the course of this period, he came to be known as a man of great integrity and competence. Humble, tolerant, with great inner strength and resoluteness, he was a man of the people who understood their language. He was also a man of vision who led the country towards progress. Lal Bahadur Shastri represented the best in Indian culture.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lal_Bahadur_Shastri
