Lal Bahadur Shastri, the great man who never got his due

A shining star among the luminaries of his time, who emphasised the idea of unity and gave governance a more humanitarian touch, this simple, reticent and sage-like person is a forgotten hero.

Lal Bahadur Shastri laid the foundation of modern India after Independence. As a politician and later, as an accomplished policymaker and skilled administrator, he left an indelible mark not only on the country but also on the global scene.

After Independence, while discharging various roles in the government, he rose from a minister in the cabinet of Jawaharlal Nehru to become the Prime Minister, which in terms of the time span was very short, but highly eventful.

He considered the special status of Jammu and Kashmir as a hindrance to full integration with India. It was during Shastri's tenure as the Prime Minister that the posts of Sadar-e-Riyasat and Wazir in Jammu and Kashmir were abolished and replaced with the positions of Governor and the Chief Minister.

It is worth mentioning that from 1952 to 1965, the Sadar and Wazir remained distinct political entities, which became centres of separate politics within the country.

It is noteworthy that in September 1964, a bill to abolish Article 370 was introduced in the Lok Sabha by an Independent member, Prakashvir Shastri. It was supported by many Congress MPs, but could not be passed due to opposition from the ruling party.

Although Shastri's direct role as the Prime Minister is not visible in these affairs, a harsh letter dated March 17, 1965, by Sheikh Abdullah, who was touring Pakistan and England after his release from prison, accused Shastri of trying to reverse the order laid by Nehru. This is proof that Sheikh Abdullah was well-acquainted with Shastriji's intentions on Jammu and Kashmir.

India had bitter experiences in the armed conflict with China in 1962 and Shastriji's tenure as the Prime Minister saw a period of famine and politico-economic crisis.

At this juncture, Pakistan imposed war on India. General Ayub Khan and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto saw in this political vacuum and economic slowdown an appropriate moment to strike. But under the able leadership of Shastriji, India not only defeated Pakistan but triggered a series of crises for that country. After this war began the political downfall of Ayub Khan, and the ethnic Bengali movement in East Pakistan got a new impetus. Next year in 1966, Mujibur Rahman started a mass movement, which culminated in the formation of a separate nation in 1971 with active cooperation from India.

When Shastriji became Prime Minister, food production in the country had slumped. At that time, carrying forward the great spirit of renunciation of personal interest in favour of national interest, he urged people to fast once a week. This period also saw the beginning of White and Green revolutions to make India self-reliant.

Shastriji was well aware of the importance of international relations for national security. Since 1960, China and Pakistan were coming closer and at such times, Shastriji keeping India's regional interests in mind gave a new direction to foreign relations.

The 1964 Shastri-Bandarnaike Agreement played an important role in improving India's strained relations with Sri Lanka due to issues related to the Tamil community in that country.

Similarly, after the 1962 military coup, relations with Burma had deteriorated and Shastri established a cordial relationship with General Ne Vin, the head of Burma's military regime, to safeguard India's interests.

The military conflicts of 1962 and 1965 underlined the importance of expanding India's military power. A nuclear-powered India could secure its borders with deterrence.

In 1965, a plutonium reprocessing plant was started in India. According to Dr Homi Jahangir Bhabha, Shastri gave the go-ahead for the production of nuclear explosives, which led to the launch of the Nuclear Explosive Design Group and the Study of Nuclear Explosions for Peaceful Purpose (SNEPP). This decision was indicative of great political will, which was rare for a long time.

Shastriji always stressed on policymaking, keeping in mind not just the immediate, but also the future. Jai Jawan Jai Kisan was not merely a slogan, but also reflected India's aspirations.

But such a great statesman was never given the honour he deserved. It is the misfortune of this country that Indians are so obsessed with political glamour that a simple-looking but exceptional personality was forgotten.

Today, as the biggest tribute on his birthday, the younger generation should feel grateful for his contribution in building today's India.

(Author is from the Jammu and Kashmir Study Centre)