G. L Khajuria
Men may come and men may go, but gems like L.B Shastri stay for ever in the histories. Rightfully has thus Oscar wilde remarked, “It is not selfish to think for one self. A man who does think for himself does not think at all”.
Born on 2nd October, 1904 at Moghalsarai (UP) in a below the mediocre family, Shastriji was really to be a gem second Prime Minister of India after Pt. J. L Nehru. His father, who was a school teacher died when Shastriji was barely two years old and as such he was being brought up by his maternal grandfather. Though his earlier days of childhood were poverty ridden and as a corollary, he had to encompass many odds and he faced all these valiantly with due devotion and dedication being not ever afraid of multihued obstacles those came in his way. A simple man with multifaceted cultural and religious affiliations attached to his magnanimity, was Shastriji who compromised in the crucial and the most challenging intricate squabbles.
When Shastriji was barely 17, he was attracted towards freedom movement and as such plunged into the freedom arena most boldly keeping body and soul in togetherness and unambiguously took part in various movements started by the Father of Nation, Bapu Gandhi and on most of the occasions he was arrested along with other freedom fighters. Amidst the fiery freedom struggle movement, he occasioned to join Kashi Vidyapith, where he studied under the remowned scholar Dr. Bhagwan Dass, which ultimately made him to secure his Shastri Degree and in later stages it became a part and parcel of his name and fame.
Jai Jawan Jai Kisan was the slogan of Shastriji and he enshrined Jawan and Kisan as the fountainheads of a nation upon which rests the foundation of the nation. In the words of A.S Raman, “there is no doubt that Shastriji has all essentials if not externals of man of destiny, however, shy and self-pitying, he may appear to be. Physically he has obvious handicaps, intellectually, he is modest, politically he is almost passive. But he has certain qualities which distinguishes with his statesmanship and its mello-west.”
Shastriji continued to take part in freedom movement very actively with his contemporaries of the time et.al. Lala Lajpath, Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru and many more of his ilk and the ensuing period spanning 1952-1964, Shastriji had remained a member of India’s Counsel of Ministers. He left an indelible print in the Indian history when in 1952, he had been the Railway Minister and voluntarily resigned because of a rail-accident taking the onus of responsibility on his shoulders. Such were the rarer of rarest qualities bestowed upon him.
In May 1964, on the sad demise of Nehru, Shastriji was unamimously chosen to succeed Nehru as the second Prime Minister of India and during his shorter-spell of Prime Ministership, he led India on the path of progress. Work, for him was worship and rest, the rust. He worked indefatigably and without fear or favour, with due dedication and devotion. Shastriji was a silent worker and he tackled multifarious off -shooting problems skilfully and in the most meticulous way. He was ever been a genius of integrity and cohesiveness and his expounding diabolical courage camouflaged incipiently by his silken smile. His main aim was to look far ahead for the generation and generation to come and his edifying humility, pragmatism and humanism were in amalgamation.
He maintained during his Prime Ministership an equilibrium between his thoughts and open mindedness and this goes true with the saying of Emerson “Man is a piece of universe made alive”.
Shastriji has had utmost regards for Jawan and Kisan and on one occasion, he called Manoj and Shashi, duo flm maker as to whether they can produce a film of twin forces of the nation-Jawan and Kisan. With utter emotion that appeared on their faces, they assured, it is quite possible and that is how upkaar was produced and directed by Manoj.
And, of course, in another occasion, his son Sunil who was all along watching Shastriji of his late coming from office… one night he kept waiting till late night and asked his father, “you are always over burdened in the office matters and you have least regards for your family members”. Smilingly, Shastriji replied, “My dear Son … don’t ever think so … my whole India is my family … and perhaps you are luckliest that I sleep with you …? Upon this Sunilj had to apologise. Such is the rarer of rarest qualities imbibed in Shastriji which perhaps none of his contemporaries ever possessed.
In mid seventies, the writer amongst other fellow colleagues had an occasion to visit Shastiji’s residence, congested rooms and though of course, I can say a national heritage. A small home with all traditional Dhooties and caps the old traditional pens and holders and the ink-pots which really touched my inner voice vehemently.
In 1965, Pak invaded India and in dealing with upspringing situation, Shastriji did not make hurry but very meticulously dealt with Pakistan to come to negotiable settlement and offered him a chance to talk in terms of peace but when she could not understand the language of peace, he hit hard and the entire nation stood as one man to meet the challenge and the enemy had to bear the retreat bootlessly with humiliation.
This was the sort of courage and boldness shown by him under his dynamic politburo. After the cease fire was drawn and in its aftermath followed Tashkant agreement when the then President of Pakistan also proceeded Russia. After great deal of deliberations, Shastriji was made to sign the agreement to the effect that the Indian forces which had occupied Pak territory be withdrawn. To his utmost zeal and disappointed degree of emotion, Shastri could not bear the burden of singing the agreement. And ill luck had it that eftsoon Shastriji was jolted to the cruel clutches of the hands of death.
The sudden and untimely demise of Shastriji shook and utterly shocked the nation as a whole and a holocaustic scenario pervaded over Indian horizon. It was perhaps the most unfaithful and deadening day for all Indian. Shastriji was truly the real son of Indian. He was a great gem amongst others who never ever yielded to power or pelf. He possessed the qualities of head and heart. His name shall remain in the History of India till the sun shines, moon soothes and stars remain twinkling in cosmos. And with this is added “Down with your pride of birth, your golden Gods of trade, a man is worth his mother earth, all that a man has made.” (J.G. Neilardtcry of people).
(The author is a former Deputy Conservator of Forests, J&K)
