Remember Me?

Its October 2^nd, as we know it is the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, a non-violent leader whom we call as our “Father of The Nation”. But today I am going to talk about a person, whom we have forgotten in present era. I am talking about “Lal Bahadur Shastri” second Prime Minister of India. One of the most honest PM of our nation, son of farmer and a very humble person. He shared the birth date with Gandhi, and that’s why I think people don’t remember his birthday, because they are too busy in celebrating Gandhi ji’s birthday.

Shastri ji was born on 2 October, 1904 in Ram agar in Varanasi in Kayastha Family. Shastri ji didn’t believe in caste discrimination, dropped his title. Later, when he graduated at Kashi Vidyapeeth, he was given the title of Shashtri. He was a strong believer of Gandhi ji but very few of us know that he was influenced by Lokmanya Tilak in his early days.  In 1921, when Mahatma Gandhi call for youth to come out of schools and colleges and join the Non-Cooperation movement, Shashtri paid heed to that call. This also marked Shashtri’s first move towards India’s freedom.

Lal Bahadur Shastri went to jail as early as when he was 17-years-old. Jailed for his participation in non-cooperation movement, Shastri was later let-off as he was only 17 (minor) then. In 1930, during the Civil Disobedience Movement Lal Bahadur Shastri was again jailed for his participation in it. This time Shastri served a jail-term of two and half years. Shastri learned about western philosophers and social reformers during his jail-term. Lal Bahadur Shastri was also arrested in 1940, and 1941 till 1946. The fact will surprise you a bit that Shastri spent almost nine years in jail in total during India’s Independence activism.

Shastri ji was the person who starts the appointment of woman conductors in the transport facilities; also it was him who ordered using jets of waters instead of lathis to disperse the crowd when he was minister of police department.

“Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan”

It is also very well known that after Nehru’s death, Indira Gandhi was offered as PM’s post but she refused it and after that Shastri ji was offered as PM post. It was he who made a committee regarding prevention of corruption, Shastri ji was a short man but his will power and his determination was bigger than his heights.

In the war of 1965 he was the leader who led from the front and gave a free hand to the Indian army that time, Shastri ji was expired on 11 January 1966, he suffered cardiac arrest, but his death is still a mystery.

In today’s world, when we see moral and ethical life of political leaders and parties reaching to a new low, it is surprising to observe that our past had given us great leaders who stood the test of time with integrity, conviction and clarity. Shastri ji was one such a character!