Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had said in Parliament, “No man can wish for a better comrade and colleague than Lal Bahadur Shastri. The man of the highest integrity, loyalty, devoted to ideals and conscience is called Lal Bahadur Shastri. Today people of India salute this great son of India. His humanity and simplicity endeared him to millions of Indians. He was a tireless Champion of the interests of the working class and peasants. The slogan he gave us, “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan”, resonates with people even today.

He advocated for modern day India-‘Simple living and high thinking’. He was keen to steer country through contentious times on the path of economic and social development. He felt that whether it is the soldier, the farmer, the scientist, the worker, the entrepreneur, the teacher or the public officials, each one of us play a vital role in the process of nation building:’

There were many specialties in the life of Shastri Ji. The oft-repeated question of the early 1960’s: After Nehru who? But Shastri Ji proved to the world that he was a worthy successor. Shastri Ji’s life is aptly described as an illustration of the practical application of Gandhian principles and a legendry loyalist of Pt. Nehru. He is a perfect role model for the younger generation. The way Shastri Ji lived his life, he had become a permanent fixture of our collective psyche. It is a matter of coincidence that Shastri Ji shares his birthday with Mahatma Gandhi, his abiding commitment to values and ideals of the Mahatma is truly significant. While in Government, he abided by Gandhi Ji’s dictum that when in office, “Always sit light, never tight.”

He resigned from Railway Minister Post owing the responsibilities of Mahboob Nagar Rail accident. His innate sense of humanity sincerity and simplicity enabled him to establish a deep bond with people and to easily strike chord of understanding.

It is worth recalling that like many amongst his generation, Shastri Ji also gave up his studies to join the freedom struggle in response to Gandhi Ji’s call to strengthen the non-cooperation movement. He was arrested for the first time at the age of seventeen, and again, like many of the stalwarts of our independence movement, prison was to become a second home. All told, Shastri Ji was sent to prison seven times, spending as many as nine long years in various prisons. Despite his involvement in the freedom struggle, following the non-cooperation movement, Shastri Ji resumed and completed his studies at the Kashi Vidyapeeth. He was awarded the degree of Shastri in philosophy and the humanities and this was the reason for the public at large to address him as ‘Shastri’.

He joined the Servants of India Society which burnished his image as a man of Simple habits, great commitment, diligence and sincerity. He participated in many landmark events of freedom struggle including the Salt Satyagraha and the Quit India Movement.

A man of strong principles, ShastriJi refused to bend the rules for anyone, not even Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru. He was such a stickler for rules that he insisted on Pt. Nehru paying customs duty on a Volkswagen car that his younger sister Krishna Hutheesing had imported. Hutheesing had been gifted a Volkswagen car by the company as a goodwill gesture. The vehicle, however, was held up at the customs and Hutheesing was asked to pay the duty. Shastri Ji was apprised of the matter when customs officials realized that she was the Prime Minister’s sister. Shastri Ji put his foot down and insisted that Hutheesing had to pay the duty. The matter went to Pt. Nehru, who agreed to pay the customs duty from his own pocket. Shastri Ji had become a victim of Kamaraj’s plan of dropping Nehru’s critics from the cabinet after India lost the war against China in 1962. Shastri Ji was a leader of towering moral stature, whose trail physique and gentle manner belied histremendous inner strength and courage. He epitomized the finest values of the Congress leaders who fought so bravely for India’s freedom. Shastri Ji’s brief tenure of eighteen months as Prime Minister were testing times for our new republic. And yet through crisis such as war and privation, his immense moral courage, character and great intuition were visible in his calm and effective leadership.

His sudden demise in Tashkent in 1966 was an enormous blow. In his first broadcast as Prime Minister on June 11, 1964, Lal Bahadur Shastri had 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 a socialist democracy at home was freedom, and prosperity for all and the maintenance of world peace and friendship with all nations”. In these times when moral courage and integrity, simplicity and humility, seem to count for so little in public life, Shastri Ji’s life should serve as an inspiration to all of us. The best way for us to pay tribute to the principles he cherished, of service to the Nation and pursuit of truth, what firm resolve, ‘Simple living and high thinking’. We pay him rich and glowing tributes on 55th death anniversary. As long as India remains, Shastri Ji will continue to occupy a place of great respect in our hearts.

The author is a former Spokesperson, UP Congress Committee