Lal Bahadur Shastri

Lal Bahadur Shastri

Lal Bahadur Shastri was the second prime minister of republic and a leader of the Indian National Congress party. Shastri was born in Ramnagar -Varanasi on 2nd October 1904. His father Sharada Prasad Srivastava and his mother Ramdulari Devi. Shastri took a deep interest in the freedom struggle and began to study its history and the works of several of its noted personalities including those of Swamy Vivekananda,Gandhiji and Anni Besant. Gandhi and Madan Mohan Malaviya are his inspirations. In 1925 he was given the title Shastri. The title was bachelors degree awarded by his college Vidyapith but it stuck as part of his name. In 1928 Shastri become an active mature member of congress and the call of Gandhiji. Shastri participated in the Salt Sathyagraha in 1930. He was imprisoned by two and a half years. In 1940 he was sent to prison for one year for offering individual Sathyagraha support to the Independence movement.

On 8 August 1942 Gandhi issued the Quit India speech at Mumbai demanding that British leave India. Shastri spent almost nine years in jail for independence activist. He met Nehru for talking about our freedom at Allahabad. Following Indias Independence Shastri was appointed Parlimentary Secretary in his home state Uttarpradesh. In 1951 Shastri was made the General Secretary of  the All India Congress committee with Jawaharlal Nehru as the Prime Minister. Jawaharlal Nehru died in office on 27 th May 1964 and left avoid. Then congress party Chief Minister K.Kamaraj was instrumental in making Shastri as Prime Minister on 9th June 1964. Shastri discontinued Nehrus social economics policies with central planning. 

Shastri introduced the provision of female drivers and conductors in public transportation. Shastri promoted the white revolution-milk product revolution. He motivated the country to maximize the cultivation of food grains by ploughing the lawn himself. Shastris greatest moment came when he led India in the 1965 Indo-Pak war. During the 22nd day war with Pakistan in 1965 October 19 Shastri gave the seminal -Jai Jawan Jai Kisan-[Hal of the soldier Hail of the farmer] slogan at Urva in  Allahabad that became a national slogan. Underlining the need to boost Indias food production Shastri also promoted Green Revolution.

Though he was a socialist Shastri started that India cannot have a regimented type of economy. The food corporation of India was was set up under the food corporation Act 1964,also the National Agriculture Products Board Act. Under his leadership India faced and repulsed the Pakistan invasion of 1965. Sri Lal Bahadur Shastris slogan -Jai Jawan Jai Kisan-focus even today though the length and breadth of the country. Shastri continued Nehru policy of non alignment but also built closer relationship with Soviet Union. In 1964 Shastri signed an accord with the Srilankan Prime Minister Sirimavo Pandaranayake regarding the status of Indian Tamils. Under the terms of this agreement 600000 Indian Tamils were to be repatriated while 375000 were to be granted Srilankan citizenship. Shastri died in Tashkent on 11th January 1966 on his age of 61.