2nd October, an important date in the history of India as Gandhi Jayanti and Lal Bahadur Shashtri Jayanti falls on the same day. It might be a sheer coincidence but it was the country’s fate that two main leaders were born together though at different times. Gandhi is well known for his contribution but few know about India’s second PM. Unfolding all rare facts about Lal Bahadur Shashtri that will let you know him better.
Un-Heard Facts About Lal Bahadur Shashtri On His 117th Birth Anniversary
1. Dropped His Surname At Young Age
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Born to a Kayastha family, he got his last name as Srivastava. Shastri was very young when he realized that India follows a casteism culture where people adopt their last name to indicate their caste or sub-caste. He was in 7th class when he refused to use the caste as his Surname.
2. Quit Education Upon The Call Of Gandhi
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Though a bright student, Shashtri quit education to support Gandhi who then asked the youth to become a part of the Non-Cooperation Movement. He was in 10th class then and finals were about to begin. But patriotism was flooding in Shashtri’s blood that forced him to put the nation first before education.
He became a volunteer in the Congress Party and was also arrested during the anti-government protest. Since he was very young, officials released him. Later he joined Kashi Vidyapith, a school established by Gandhi, and earned the title of ‘Shashtri’ (scholar).
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3. Gave Up His Salary As Prime Minister
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Nation and its people were always first for the second Prime Minister of India. In 1965 country was in double trouble where on one end soldiers were losing morale in the fight against Pakistan, on the other side people were dying from starvation.
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Shashtri decided to contribute every single penny he earned to feed the country. He also motivated people for fasting and growing crops in their homes. He stopped taking the salary, skipped meals along with his family, and did farming at his home. The 1965 war was also the time when he coined the slogan “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan”
4. Shashtri Saved India From Pakistan
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Nehru Ji died in 1964 leaving India in very fragile condition. Congress was confused with the question who’s next after Nehru? Even though Shashtri was an eligible candidate for the Prime Minister of India, the party did not have full confidence in him due to his soft voice and nature.
Pakistan on the other side thought its the right time to take over India as it’s weak. But Lal Bahadur Shashtri shattered its dream to capture Kashmir. While addressing the public, he made India’s stand clear to Pakistan- “Force will be met with force.”
5. Brought Car On Loan
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Unlike several leaders who misuse their position for getting materialistic pleasure, Lal Bahadur Shashtri went it an ordinary man’s way. He did not have sufficient money to buy a car that cost only Rs 12,000 so he took a loan from PNB Bank.
Unfortunately, he died before the loan tenure was supposed to end but his wife repaid all with her savings from the pension.
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6. Who Killed Shashtri? An Unanswered Question Forever
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The end of the 1965 war led to the mysterious death of Lal Bahadur Shashtri. Nobody knows who killed Shashtri. His death is not assumed as natural rather believed as murder. Some believe that he was poisoned while others say he died due to cardiac arrest.
His wife, Lalita Shashtri, also believed in poisoning theory but neither doctors nor the Government confirmed the same. Surprisingly, officials did not conduct a post Partum of Shashtri’s body which raises several questions.
Questions that were never answered by the Government make his death a mystery forever.
This is the reason why many say the Government has forgotten him. Lal Bahadur Shashtri Jayanti is a day to remember his endless contribution to India’s independence and development.