Prime Minister of India - Dr. Manmohan Singh

Prime Minister's address at the inauguration of centenary year celebrations of late Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri

Respected Soniaji, Atalji, Gujralji, Jaipal ji

Friends,

"I am happy to be amongst you to launch the centenary celebrations of a great Indian patriot, a freedom fighter, a man of the people and a remarkable Prime Minister: the late Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri. While it is matter of coincidence that Shastriji shares a birthday with Mahatma Gandhi, his abiding commitment to the values and ideals of the Mahatma is truly significant.

Shastriji's life is aptly described as an illustration of the practical application of Gandhian principles. While in government, he abided by Gandhiji's dictum that when in office, "always sit light, never tight". Shastriji's innate sense of humility, sincerity and simplicity enabled him to establish a deep bond with people, and to easily strike a chord of understanding.

It is worth recalling that like many amongst his generation, Shastriji also gave up his studies to join the freedom struggle in response to Gandhiji's call to strengthen the non-cooperation movement. He was arrested for the first time at the age of seventeen, and again, like many of the stalwarts of our independence movement, prison was to become a second home. All told, Shastriji was sent to prison seven times, spending as many as nine long years in various prisons.

Despite his involvement in the freedom struggle, following the non-cooperation movement, Shri Lal Bahadur resumed and completed his studies at the Kashi Vidya Peeth. He was awarded the degree of "Shastri" in philosophy and the humanities, and this was the reason for the public at large to address him as "Shastriji". Those were also the years in which he joined the Servants of India society, which burnished his image as a man of simple habits, great commitment, diligence and sincerity. Shastriji was to participate in many landmark events of our freedom struggle, including the salt satyagraha and the Quit India movement. His organizational skills were noticed at an early stage. In an early recognition of his abilities, Shastriji was appointed as the Organizing Secretary of the Parliamentary Board of UP in 1937.

Subsequent to our independence, Shastriji graduated rapidly from state level politics to the national level. In the first General Elections of our Republic, Shastriji was General Secretary of the Congress Party. He was directly responsible for the selection of candidates and the direction of publicity and electioneering activities. In recognition of his abilities and his commitment to the values of the Congress Party, Pandit Nehru picked him for the Rajya Sabha, to utilize his talents in government.

Shastriji's first Ministerial term was as Railways and Transport Minister in the Union Cabinet in 1952. He worked to improve the functioning of the railways, guiding their transition out of the colonial era. Today, many of the younger generation may not be aware of these efforts, but most would have heard of Shastriji's resignation from the Ministerial post, taking moral responsibility for a major accident. In a tribute to his convictions, Panditji was to say that "no man can wish for a better comrade and better colleague in any undertaking". Despite this setback, Shastriji was to hold several other important portfolios in Panditji's cabinet, including the portfolios of Transport and Communications, Commerce and the Home Ministry.

Apart from his contributions to Panditji's Cabinet, Shastriji also contributed to the growth of the Congress Party. It was only natural, therefore, that when Panditji passed away in May 1964, a distraught country and Party turned to Shastriji for leadership. The choice of a successor was a major national concern in the early 1960s. "After Nehru Who?" was an oft-repeated question in the newspapers. Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri prove to the world that he was a worthy successor.

Shastriji's brief tenure of eighteen months as Prime Minister were testing times for our young Republic. And yet through crises such as war and privation, Shastriji's immense moral courage, character and great intuition were visible in his calm and effective leadership. In fact it would not be incorrect to say that few leaders of any democracy could have endured so many trials in such a short period of time. But the dexterity with which Shastriji braved complex challenges remains an inspiring episode in our recent history. It requires extraordinary courage and determination to have steered a vast and complex country like ours through such difficult times. The nation will always remember his slogan with which he captured the Nation's pride in our soldiers and our farmers: Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan. His sudden demise in Tashkent in 1966 was an enormous blow.

Today, as we launch the Birth Centenary celebrations of Shri Lal Bahadur Shastriji, we remember his sincerity of purpose and his commitment to integrity in public life. These qualities are the need of the hour, in our collective effort to steer our country through contentious times on the path of economic and social development. Whether it is the soldier, the farmer, the scientist, the worker, the entrepreneur, the teacher or the public official, each one of us plays a vital role in the process of nation building. Therefore, in the spirit of commitment exemplified by Shastriji, I wish to urge all of us to rekindle that sense of idealism, which inspired our freedom struggle. The best way for us to pay tribute to the memory of patriots like Shastriji is for us to live by the principles they cherished, of service to the Nation and pursuit of truth, with firm resolve, simple living and high thinking.

I would like to conclude with the hope that the National Committee of eminent persons with which the Government is consulting for activities to commemorate the centenary of Lal Bahadur Shastri will be able to develop suitable events to pay a truly fitting tribute to the memory of this great son of India.

Jai Hind".