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Lal Bahadur Shastri
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Seedhe-Saral Insaan the woh...
by kirankumar » Sun Oct 04, 2009 10:20 am
By: Uday Singh Rana
Source: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=150218650985&id=779919635&ref=nf
When India attained independence, she chose to go with the democratic form of government. It was decided that elections would be held at regular intervals of five years. In 1952, the first General Elections were held and the Congress came to power with a thumping majority, forming the Government at the Center and in all the States except two (Jammu and Kashmir-NC and Kerela-CPI(M)). Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was chosen by the nation as it's first Prime Minister.Nehru had a class and a mass appeal that transcended the boundaries of religion, caste and gender.
The west had ridiculed India. They said that such a large nation with such large magnitudes of poor and illiterate people could never successfully adopt Democracy. Democracy, they said, was for the West.... for the Countries of the North. The West was wrong.
Two things proved them wrong - The 1952 General Elections, which served as an example for the new emerging countries of the world who were just freed from colonial control and had democratic aspirations.... and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who was chosen by the people and ruled for almost more than a decade.
In 1964, Jawaharlal Nehru passed away, leaving not only the Congress Party, but the entire nation in a succession crisis. This gave the condescending West a chance to look down upon India, once more. To them the Great Indian Experiment had failed. Again, The West was wrong.
As the succession crisis was going on in the Congress many in the Party suggested that Nehru's daughter Indira be made the nation's PM. However, this was rejected, on the grounds that she was too young. And here comes in the man to whom I write this tribute.
October 2 is celebrated as the Birthday of the man who is often regarded as the the greatest man ever to walk the earth. But, I decided, that this Gandhi Jayanti, I'm going to write about another man, great in his own way and born on the same day as the Mahatma. He was a man who's life was inspired by Gandhi Ji and he was a Gandhian in the true sense of the word.
Lal Bahadur Shastri had a very humble beginning to his great life. He has inspired many by tales of determination in his boyhood. Even going to school was an ordeal for children in his village. Many dropped out, but he did not. He used to cross the river EVERYDAY to reach school. He swam his way to his class everyday.
Once, his mother told him that they did not have enough money to buy him The English Reader, which they were teaching at school. So, he borrowed his friend's copy of the book and copied the entire book down.
Another tale, often told about his life, is that he was once caught stealing a few apples from the orchard. The gardener asked him to call his father, however, young Lal told him that his father had died. To this, the gardener said, that since his father had died, it is more important for him to be responsible. This took him by storm and it is often regarded as the first day of the rest of his life.
In 1964, he was chosen as the Consensus candidate for the PM's post by the Congress. This was the same year in which the Pakistani aggression was at it's all time high. Pakistan's ruler Ayoub Khan had warned in a public attack "The next attack on India will be a direct assault on Delhi." He said that Pakistan would not be scared of a "tiny dhoti-clad dwarf"
Many thought that such a soft-spoken man would not be able to inspire the nation in times of crisis. Moreover,the nation was going through a severe food shortage.They thought, he would let Pakistan dominate us, both militarily and diplomatically. They were wrong.
On August 15, 1965, in his address to the nation, Shastri Ji said that India did not want this war, but was forced into it. And in a historic answer to Ayoub Khan's comment on his appearance he said "Ab hum Pakistan ko bata denge ke dhoti waalon mein kitna dum hai."
Pakistan started the assault from the Jammu border. They planned to breach Punjab and take their tanks to Delhi, as Ayoub Khan had promised. Shastri Ji issued an immediate order to strengthen the defenses around the Punjab border.
The 1965 War was also the first litmus test of the Indian Air Force. Our indigenous GNAT air-crafts were pitched against the technologically superior Saber-Jets of the Pakistanis. Call it a miracle, or call it the spirit of the Indian pilot.... our GNATs won most of the dogfights in the War.
They say, if there was any Prime Minister close to the soldier, it was Shastri Ji. Everywhere our forces triumphed, the PM would travel there, eat lunch at the mess, with the soldiers and officers and motivate them to strive for the nation. There was great jubilation the day he ordered a straight march towards Lahore.
There was some magic in his oratory. The way he spoke, brought the common people closer to the army, and made them realize how big their sacrifice was. There are extraordinary tales of locals helping soldiers during conflict. Even after the war, soldiers got a hero's welcome, when they got back home. My grandfather used to recall his own story about how he was received with garlands by locals at the Ludhiana railway station.
Since, there was a direct threat to Delhi, Shastri Ji was worried about how the traffic throughout the huge city would be regulated, as any movement would make people easy prey to the Saber-Jets. It was then, that he looked towards the RSS, who had cadres spread all across the city, ensuring easy and swift movement of people across the huge metropolis. He told the opposition that this was not a political issue but an issue of national security, and the opposition showed great respect to him, with parties like the Bhartiya Jana Sangh deciding to cooperate. It was then that Atal Bihari Vajpayee said this about Shastri Ji "Weh kisi Dal ke neta nahi hain... saare desh ke neta hain."
Pakistan threatened that they would stop the supply of wheat if India continued attacking. Shastri Ji said "We will not beg anyone for help. Not Pakistan, Not America. We will, if need be, not eat for a day." And one Monday, India went without eating. It was under him, that India moved rapidly towards food sufficiency.
When the war was won he said "Jai Jawaan toh ho gaya... Jai kisaan abhi baaki hai."
The greatness of the man, is reflected in the way he treated Pakistan after the war was won. He did not humiliate Khan, or try to extract any benefits. He just asked him never to pick up the gun again.
This raised his image in front of the world community.
Even after recording such a historical achievement, Shastri Ji was as humble as he was the day he copied that English Reader. He asked everyone to never forget where they were from.
He was a man of high morals. This evident when he resigned as Railway Minister after a railway accident. Even for Nehru, he was his Chief-Troubleshooter.
His demise shocked the nation and the world. He died while in the Soviet Union, discussing a peace solution with the Pakistani premier.
His ability to win over his adversaries was reflected in the way his once sworn enemy, Ayoub Khan was one of the people lifting his arthi.
Auoub Khan even said "Allah kare har mulk ko Shastri jaisa Pradhan Mantri mile."
I write this, to tell you, that we must not forget this "Gaint Dwarf". Only he, could have been so great, as to share the same birthday with the Mahatma. He was the man, who showed everyone, that principled politics was possible.
This Gandhi-Jayanti, I salute a true Gandhian. Thank You, Shastri Ji
Source: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=150218650985&id=779919635&ref=nf
- lal bahadur shastri 1.jpg (102.24 KiB) Viewed 83 times
When India attained independence, she chose to go with the democratic form of government. It was decided that elections would be held at regular intervals of five years. In 1952, the first General Elections were held and the Congress came to power with a thumping majority, forming the Government at the Center and in all the States except two (Jammu and Kashmir-NC and Kerela-CPI(M)). Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was chosen by the nation as it's first Prime Minister.Nehru had a class and a mass appeal that transcended the boundaries of religion, caste and gender.
The west had ridiculed India. They said that such a large nation with such large magnitudes of poor and illiterate people could never successfully adopt Democracy. Democracy, they said, was for the West.... for the Countries of the North. The West was wrong.
Two things proved them wrong - The 1952 General Elections, which served as an example for the new emerging countries of the world who were just freed from colonial control and had democratic aspirations.... and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who was chosen by the people and ruled for almost more than a decade.
- lal bahadur shastri 2.jpg (143.27 KiB) Viewed 83 times
In 1964, Jawaharlal Nehru passed away, leaving not only the Congress Party, but the entire nation in a succession crisis. This gave the condescending West a chance to look down upon India, once more. To them the Great Indian Experiment had failed. Again, The West was wrong.
As the succession crisis was going on in the Congress many in the Party suggested that Nehru's daughter Indira be made the nation's PM. However, this was rejected, on the grounds that she was too young. And here comes in the man to whom I write this tribute.
October 2 is celebrated as the Birthday of the man who is often regarded as the the greatest man ever to walk the earth. But, I decided, that this Gandhi Jayanti, I'm going to write about another man, great in his own way and born on the same day as the Mahatma. He was a man who's life was inspired by Gandhi Ji and he was a Gandhian in the true sense of the word.
Lal Bahadur Shastri had a very humble beginning to his great life. He has inspired many by tales of determination in his boyhood. Even going to school was an ordeal for children in his village. Many dropped out, but he did not. He used to cross the river EVERYDAY to reach school. He swam his way to his class everyday.
Once, his mother told him that they did not have enough money to buy him The English Reader, which they were teaching at school. So, he borrowed his friend's copy of the book and copied the entire book down.
Another tale, often told about his life, is that he was once caught stealing a few apples from the orchard. The gardener asked him to call his father, however, young Lal told him that his father had died. To this, the gardener said, that since his father had died, it is more important for him to be responsible. This took him by storm and it is often regarded as the first day of the rest of his life.
In 1964, he was chosen as the Consensus candidate for the PM's post by the Congress. This was the same year in which the Pakistani aggression was at it's all time high. Pakistan's ruler Ayoub Khan had warned in a public attack "The next attack on India will be a direct assault on Delhi." He said that Pakistan would not be scared of a "tiny dhoti-clad dwarf"
- lal bahadur shastri 3.jpg (116.03 KiB) Viewed 83 times
Many thought that such a soft-spoken man would not be able to inspire the nation in times of crisis. Moreover,the nation was going through a severe food shortage.They thought, he would let Pakistan dominate us, both militarily and diplomatically. They were wrong.
On August 15, 1965, in his address to the nation, Shastri Ji said that India did not want this war, but was forced into it. And in a historic answer to Ayoub Khan's comment on his appearance he said "Ab hum Pakistan ko bata denge ke dhoti waalon mein kitna dum hai."
Pakistan started the assault from the Jammu border. They planned to breach Punjab and take their tanks to Delhi, as Ayoub Khan had promised. Shastri Ji issued an immediate order to strengthen the defenses around the Punjab border.
The 1965 War was also the first litmus test of the Indian Air Force. Our indigenous GNAT air-crafts were pitched against the technologically superior Saber-Jets of the Pakistanis. Call it a miracle, or call it the spirit of the Indian pilot.... our GNATs won most of the dogfights in the War.
They say, if there was any Prime Minister close to the soldier, it was Shastri Ji. Everywhere our forces triumphed, the PM would travel there, eat lunch at the mess, with the soldiers and officers and motivate them to strive for the nation. There was great jubilation the day he ordered a straight march towards Lahore.
There was some magic in his oratory. The way he spoke, brought the common people closer to the army, and made them realize how big their sacrifice was. There are extraordinary tales of locals helping soldiers during conflict. Even after the war, soldiers got a hero's welcome, when they got back home. My grandfather used to recall his own story about how he was received with garlands by locals at the Ludhiana railway station.
Since, there was a direct threat to Delhi, Shastri Ji was worried about how the traffic throughout the huge city would be regulated, as any movement would make people easy prey to the Saber-Jets. It was then, that he looked towards the RSS, who had cadres spread all across the city, ensuring easy and swift movement of people across the huge metropolis. He told the opposition that this was not a political issue but an issue of national security, and the opposition showed great respect to him, with parties like the Bhartiya Jana Sangh deciding to cooperate. It was then that Atal Bihari Vajpayee said this about Shastri Ji "Weh kisi Dal ke neta nahi hain... saare desh ke neta hain."
Pakistan threatened that they would stop the supply of wheat if India continued attacking. Shastri Ji said "We will not beg anyone for help. Not Pakistan, Not America. We will, if need be, not eat for a day." And one Monday, India went without eating. It was under him, that India moved rapidly towards food sufficiency.
When the war was won he said "Jai Jawaan toh ho gaya... Jai kisaan abhi baaki hai."
The greatness of the man, is reflected in the way he treated Pakistan after the war was won. He did not humiliate Khan, or try to extract any benefits. He just asked him never to pick up the gun again.
This raised his image in front of the world community.
Even after recording such a historical achievement, Shastri Ji was as humble as he was the day he copied that English Reader. He asked everyone to never forget where they were from.
He was a man of high morals. This evident when he resigned as Railway Minister after a railway accident. Even for Nehru, he was his Chief-Troubleshooter.
His demise shocked the nation and the world. He died while in the Soviet Union, discussing a peace solution with the Pakistani premier.
His ability to win over his adversaries was reflected in the way his once sworn enemy, Ayoub Khan was one of the people lifting his arthi.
Auoub Khan even said "Allah kare har mulk ko Shastri jaisa Pradhan Mantri mile."
I write this, to tell you, that we must not forget this "Gaint Dwarf". Only he, could have been so great, as to share the same birthday with the Mahatma. He was the man, who showed everyone, that principled politics was possible.
- lal bahadur shastri last.jpg (111.38 KiB) Viewed 83 times
This Gandhi-Jayanti, I salute a true Gandhian. Thank You, Shastri Ji
- kirankumar
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