Lal
Bahadur Shastri – leader in news
NEWS: January 11 marks the
59th death anniversary of Lal Bahadur Shastri, the second Prime Minister of
India.
WHAT’S IN THE NEWS?
Early Life and
Education
- Birth and Early Years: Lal Bahadur Shastri was born on October
2, 1904, in the town of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Nagar (formerly
Mughalsarai) in Uttar Pradesh. Coming from a modest background, he faced
numerous hardships in his early years.
- Childhood Name and Education: Shastri's original name was Lal Bahadur
Shrivastava. However, he chose to drop his surname as a protest against
the caste system that was prevalent in Indian society at the time. He
earned the title "Shastri" after completing his graduation from
Kashi Vidyapeeth in Varanasi in 1925. The title “Shastri” is a Sanskrit
term meaning “scholar,” a fitting reference to his academic prowess.
- Pre-Independence
Role of Shastriji
Shastriji became the President of the Servants of People Society which
was founded by Lala Lajpat Rai that worked for the upliftment of Harijans. In
1928, he joined the Indian National Congress as an active member. In 1930, he
was given the position of President of the Allahabad Congress Committee. He
also participated in Civil Disobedience Movement to encourage people to oppose
paying land profits and taxes to the government. He directed a door-to-door
campaign as well at the time of Gandhi’s Salt Satyagraha. Furthermore, in 1937,
he got elected to the UP Legislative Assembly. He also served as the Organising
Secretary in 1937 of the U.P. Parliamentary Board.
While Shastri was in jail in 1942, he utilized his time reading the
social reformers and western philosophers. He also sent instructions to the
independence activists for a week after being released from jail during the
Quit India movement.
Role in India's
Struggle for Independence
- Youth and National Movement: From a young age, Lal Bahadur Shastri
was actively involved in the Indian independence movement, dedicating much
of his youth to fighting British colonial rule. He became an important
member of the Indian National Congress and participated in several key
national movements.
- Post-Independence Contributions: After India gained independence in
1947, Shastri continued his public service. He worked in various roles
within the Uttar Pradesh state government before transitioning to the
central government, where he held key ministerial positions.
Political Career and
Contributions
- Ministerial Roles:
- Police
and Transport Minister (1947): Shastri was appointed as the Minister
of Police and Transport in 1947. His tenure was marked by progressive
decisions, including the appointment of the first women bus conductors in
the country. Additionally, he introduced the idea of using jets of water
instead of lathis (sticks) to control unruly crowds during protests,
reflecting his modern approach to governance.
- Union
Minister for Railways and Transport (1952): In
1952, Shastri was appointed Union Minister for Railways and Transport.
During his tenure, a major railway accident occurred in Mehboobnagar,
present-day Telangana, in August 1956, which led to the loss of 112
lives. In response, Shastri took full moral responsibility for the
tragedy and submitted his resignation to the Prime Minister, Jawaharlal
Nehru. Although Nehru did not accept his resignation, another railway
accident in November 1956 in Tamil Nadu, which killed 144 people,
prompted Shastri to resign again. This act of accepting responsibility
for mishaps within his ministry was a first in Indian political history.
- Language Policy: As the Home Minister, Shastri was
instrumental in addressing language-related tensions in the country. With
many southern states concerned about the imposition of Hindi, Shastri
assured them that English would continue to be used alongside Hindi as the
official language of India, promoting a sense of inclusiveness.
Prime Ministership
(1964-1966)
- Assumption of Office: Following the sudden death of
Jawaharlal Nehru on May 27, 1964, Lal Bahadur Shastri was elected as the
Prime Minister of India on June 9, 1964. Shastri’s appointment came at a
time when the nation was facing multiple challenges, including food
shortages and national security issues.
- Focus on Agriculture and Economy: One
of Shastri’s key initiatives was addressing the severe food shortages that
India faced in the mid-1960s, exacerbated by the 1962 Sino-Indian war and
the ongoing Indo-Pakistani conflict. To combat this, Shastri introduced
the concept of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for agricultural produce, which
ensured that farmers received a fair price for their crops. He also
established the Prices Commission (now the Commission for Agricultural
Costs and Prices), which recommends the MSP for various agricultural commodities
to this day.
- Short but Impactful Tenure: Despite serving as Prime Minister for
only 581 days, Shastri’s tenure was marked by several critical decisions
that shaped India’s future. His leadership during a turbulent time,
particularly in national security and agricultural policies, earned him respect
both domestically and internationally.
The 1965 Indo-Pak War
and the Tashkent Declaration
- Indo-Pak War of 1965: The war between India and Pakistan
began in August 1965 when Pakistan launched an attack in Jammu and
Kashmir, believing India would be unable to retaliate effectively due to
its loss to China in 1962. In response, India retaliated by launching
attacks across the International Border in Punjab. The conflict escalated
until the United Nations intervened and called for a ceasefire.
- Tashkent Declaration (January 10, 1966):
- To
bring an end to the conflict, Soviet Premier Aleksey Kosygin invited
Indian Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri and Pakistani President Ayub
Khan to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, for peace talks. The Tashkent Declaration,
signed on January 10, 1966, sought to establish long-term peace between
India and Pakistan. The agreement resulted in a ceasefire and the return
of territories captured during the war. However, the war was ultimately
inconclusive, and the declaration did not resolve all issues between the
two nations.
- Death and Controversy: The day after the signing of the
Tashkent Declaration, on January 11, 1966, Lal Bahadur Shastri died
unexpectedly of a heart attack. Shastri had suffered heart attacks in the
past, one in 1959 and another in 1964. Despite this, his sudden death
raised suspicions due to the lack of a postmortem examination. Speculation
around whether Shastri was coerced into signing the declaration against
his will also emerged, but those who were present at the time, including
CP Srivastava, a close associate, strongly denied these rumors. Srivastava
stated that Shastri had signed the declaration freely, feeling a sense of
achievement.
Legacy and
Contributions
- Slogan “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan”: One of Shastri’s most enduring
contributions was the creation of the slogan “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan” in
1965. The slogan was a tribute to both India’s soldiers (jawans) and
farmers (kisans), who were central to the country’s security and food
production during a period of crisis. The slogan emphasized the importance
of both the military and agriculture in securing India’s future.
- Recognition of Soldiers and Farmers: The
slogan “Jai Jawan” honored the Indian soldiers who were defending the
nation’s borders, while “Jai Kisan” acknowledged the farmers who were
working tirelessly to ensure the nation’s food security amidst difficult
times, such as the ongoing war with Pakistan and food shortages.
- Posthumous Additions to the Slogan:
- In
1998, after India conducted nuclear tests in Pokhran, Prime Minister Atal
Bihari Vajpayee modified the slogan by adding “Jai Vigyan” (Hail Science)
to it, signifying the importance of scientific advancement and technology
in securing the nation’s future.
- In
2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi further expanded the slogan to include
“Jai Anusandhan” (Hail Research), reflecting the growing emphasis on
research and innovation as key drivers of national development.
Conclusion
Lal Bahadur Shastri’s
tenure as Prime Minister, though brief, was marked by decisive leadership and a
commitment to national unity and progress. His integrity, focus on agriculture,
and efforts to resolve national security issues during the Indo-Pakistani War
of 1965 solidified his legacy as a leader who acted with both moral
responsibility and practical foresight. His famous slogan, “Jai Jawan Jai
Kisan,” continues to resonate as a reminder of the critical roles played by
India’s soldiers and farmers in the nation’s development. While the controversy
surrounding his sudden death remains unresolved, his legacy as a principled and
visionary leader endures in the annals of Indian history.
Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/upsc-current-affairs/upsc-essentials/knowledge-nugget-lal-bahadur-shastri-tashkent-declaration-9771300/