January 11 marks the death anniversary of Lal Bahadur
Shastri, the second prime minister of India. Shastri ji, who worked with full
dedication for many decades for the country, is remembered for his tremendous
efficiency, integrity, and humble nature.
Shastri was born to Sharada Prasad Srivastava and Ramdulari
Devi in Mughalsarai on 2 October 1904. He studied in East Central
Railway Inter college and Harish Chandra High School, which he left to join
the non-cooperation movement.
His slogan "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan" became very
popular during the war.
He promoted the White Revolution – a national
campaign to increase the production and supply of milk – by supporting
the Amul milk co-operative of Anand, Gujarat and creating
the National Dairy Development Board.
Shastri also promoted the Green Revolution in India in
1965. This led to an increase in food grain production, especially in Punjab,
Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
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 Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi and Annie Besant.
Inspired by the Mahatma's call for students to withdraw from
government schools and join the non-cooperation movement, Shastri withdrew from
Harish Chandra High School the next day and joined the local branch of the
Congress Party as a volunteer.
After participating in the Quit India Movement of Mahatma
Gandhi in 1942, he had to remain in jail till 1946. Shastri ji spent nine
years in jail for the freedom struggle.
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After independence, he moved to New Delhi in 1951 and took
charge of several departments of the Union Cabinet.
He was also Minister of Railways, Minister of Transport and
Communication, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Minister of Home Affairs and
Minister.
The mystery behind his death is still not solved. After the
war between India and Pakistan ended in 1965, Shastri had gone to Tashkent for
a peace agreement. He met President Ayub Khan, but after his meeting, he suddenly
died within a few hours. The reason behind his death was stated as cardiac
arrest. When his body was brought to India, many eyewitnesses saw unnatural
blue and white spots on his face and body, so the actual reason is still not known.
Lal Bahadur Shastri played an integral role in the
Independence of India.