2nd October is celebrated as Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti. India’s second Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri was also born on the same date in 1904.
Freedom fighter and India's second Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri shared his birthday with Father of Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. On his 111th birth anniversary here are 5 things one must know about Shastriji.
The story behind 'Jai Jawan Jai Kisan'
When Lal Bahadur Shastri took over as a Prime Minister in 1964, India used to be a food importing country then. It depended on food imports from North America under the PL-480 scheme. In 1965, when we were at war with Pakistan, India faced drought as well. Keeping in mind, the food situation and the prevailing hunger, Shastri had urged the entire country to hold a fast for a day. Lal Bahadur Shastri knew and understood the significance of soldiers and farmers and gave slogan during that period - Jai Jawan Jai Kisan.
Shastri's conflict with American President Lyndon Johnson
Towards the end of 1965 and before his death on January 11, 1966, in an interview with an American journalist, Lal Bahadur Shastri, despite his dependency on America for food import, didn't nod his head and said the war by America in Vietnam was an act of aggression. His statement wasn't received well by the American counterpart who then stopped food exports to India under a 'Stop-go-policy'. India was then in such a miserable situation that the Food & Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations had to appeal to the US to resume food exports.
Related read: Lal Bahadur Shastri's son requests PM Modi to declassify files related to father's death
He wasn't a born 'Shastri'
Lal Bahadur Shastri was born in Ramnagar of Varanasi in a Kayastha family, but because he didn’t believe in the caste system, he gave up his title. It was not until later, when he graduated from Kashi Vidyapeeth, the title of Shastri (scholar) was awarded to him.
As a minister in Jawahar Lal Nehru's cabinet, Shastri set some milestones that are still followed
As a Transport Minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri was the first in India to make it possible for women to be appointed as conductors in transportation facilities. It was also Shastri's idea to use jets of water to disperse the crowd rather than lathi-charge.
His first address to nation as a Prime Minister
“There comes a time in the life of every nation when it stands at the crossroads of history and must choose which way to go. But for us there need to be no difficulty or hesitation, no looking to right or left. Our way is straight and clear—the building up of a socialist democracy at home with freedom and prosperity for all, and the maintenance of world peace and friendship with all nations.”
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