Prime Minister of India - Dr. Manmohan Singh

PM unveils Lal Bahadur Shastri's statue

"It is for me a rare honour and privilege to be taking part in this unveiling ceremony of the statute of one of the greatest Indians of our times that Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri was - a great freedom fighter and a great administrator and truly a great leader of men and a great Prime Minister he was. Jaipalji has already mentioned how Lal Bahadurji combined in him an unique quality - a blend of the ideas and ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawahar Lal Nehru. His towering personality, his life and his work will remain a shining example of what leadership is about. Leadership is not about promoting self-aggrandizement. Leadership is education for public service and Lal Bahadurji provided the highest standards of public leadership to our people. His life and work would continue to inspire generations of people in our country. The slogan that he gave to the Nation during the war in 1965 - `Jai Jawan and Jai Kisan' remains as relevant now as it was in 1965.

Our Nation faces many challenges. We have crossed many milestones in our Nation's quest to conquer poverty, ignorance and disease but a lot remains to be done. We have to have the determination to face these challenges. I am sure this statute installed at this strategic place in this Complex, where I am told a large number of Public Sector organisations are located, will inspire all those people who work in these buildings to be mindful of the rich legacy that Shastriji has left behind - that the purpose of public service is to wipe out, what Gandhiji used to say, tears from eyes of suffering humanity. That message which is the legacy of our freedom struggle which was carried forward by our great leaders - Jawahar Lal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri retains its relevance today as it was before.

I therefore thank Jaipalji for having taken this initiative for the installation of Lal Bahadur statue at this strategic place. I sincerely hope that this Statute will be a grateful Nation's remembrance of one of the greatest Indians our times and that it will continue to inspire us all to follow in the foot prints of Lal Bahadurji."