Some unknown facts about Lal Bahadur Shastri

On October 2, the nation observes Gandhi Jayanti on account of Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday, but somehow we overlook to consider the man who contributed towards the growth of India.

Yes, we are speaking about the second Prime Minister of India, Lal Bahadur Shastri. His contribution to India’s growth is unparallel.

Lal Bahadur Shastri was born on October 2, 1904, at Mughalsarai, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. He presented the slogan of “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan” which means “Hail, the soldier, Hail, the farmer”.

In 2004, On the occasion of his birth anniversary, the RBI issued an Rs.100 coin with his picture on it, honouring his life. The currency is non-circulating and is available on order alone.

History Today: 02 October- Lal Bahadue Shastri.

Early Life

1. Lal Bahadur Shastri studied in East Central Railway Inter College in Mughalsarai and Varanasi. He finished his graduation from the Kashi Vidyapeeth in 1926. He was given the title “Shastri” meaning “Scholar” by Vidya Peeth as a part of his bachelor’s degree award. But this title got into his name. He got married to Lalita Devi on May 16 1928.
2. He became a member of the People Society (Lok Sevak Mandal). There he started to work for the upliftment of backward classes, and later he became the President of that Society.
3. During the 1920s, Shastri Ji joined the Indian Independence Movement, in which he participated in the non-cooperation movement. He was sent to jail for some time by the Britishers.
4. In 1930, he also participated in the Salt Satyagraha, for which he was imprisoned for more than two years. In 1937, he joined as the Organising Secretary of the Parliamentary Board of U.P.

Political Achievements

1. Lal Bahadur Shastri became the Parliamentary Secretary in U.P.
2. He also became the Minister of Police and Transport in 1947. As a Transport Minister, he had appointed women conductors for the first time. Being the minister in charge of the Police Department, he passed the order that police should use jets of water and not lathis to disperse the agitated crowds.
3. In 1952, he was elected to Rajya Sabha from U.P. Being the Railway Minister, and he installed the first machine at Integral Coach Factory in Chennai in 1955.
4. In 1957, Shastri again became the Minister for Transport and Communications, and then the Minister of Commerce and Industry.
5. In 1961, he was appointed as Home Minister, and he named the Committee on Prevention of Corruption. He designed the famous “Shastri Formula” which consisted of the language confusions in Assam and Punjab.
6. On June 9, 1964, Lal Bahadur Shastri became the Prime Minister of India. He promoted the White Revolution, a national campaign to increase milk production. He also promoted the Green Revolution to improve food production in India.
7. Though Shastri continued Nehru’s policy of non-alignment, but also made a relationship with the Soviet Union. In 1964, he signed an agreement with the Sri Lankan Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike, in concern with the status of Indian Tamils in Ceylon. This agreement is known as Srimavo-Shastri Pact.
8. In 1965, Shastri officially visited Rangoon, Burma and re-established a good relation with their Military government of General Ne Win.
9. During his time, India faced another invasion from Pakistan in 1965. He granted permission to the Security Forces to retaliate and said “Force will be met with Force” and earned recognition. Indo-Pak war ended on September 23, 1965.
10. On January 10, 1966, the Russian Prime Minister, Kosygin, offered to negotiate Lal Bahadur Shastri and his Pakistan counterpart Ayub Khan approved the Tashkent Declaration.

Death

Lal Bahadur Shastri died due to a heart attack on January 11, 1966. In 1966, he was awarded the Bharat Ratna India’s highest civilian award. He was known as a man of high integrity and competence.

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