Lal Bahadur Shastri / When the PM himself stopped his son's promotion, Shastri's decisions became an example

Lal Bahadur Shastri: Today, October 2, is the birthday of two great leaders of India—Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi and the country's third Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. While Mahatma Gandhi led the freedom struggle through non-violence and satyagraha, Lal Bahadur Shastri united the country with his simple life and tough decisions.

Lal Bahadur Shastri: Ordinary personality, extraordinary leadership

Lal Bahadur Shastri was born on 2 October 1904 in Mughalsarai (now Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Nagar) in Uttar Pradesh. His life has been a symbol of simplicity, honesty and patriotism. Shastri ji may have been small in stature, but his thoughts and decisions were very big. He played an important role in the freedom struggle and after independence, took over the reins of the country after the death of Nehru ji.

Shastri ji's slogan "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan" still resonates in the Indian psyche. He gave this slogan during the Indo-Pak war of 1965 to inspire the soldiers and farmers of the country. This slogan underlines the importance of the Indian Army and agriculture, and even today reflects Shastriji's vision and leadership ability.

Symbol of honesty and simplicity

Lal Bahadur Shastri was known for his honesty and humility. Even while holding the post of Prime Minister, he lived like a common man. Many of his decisions are proof that he never misused his position. One example is when Shastriji stopped the unfair promotion of his son. When he came to know that his son was being promoted without merit, he immediately stopped the promotion by giving orders. This is an example of his moral ideals and transparency, which is an inspiration for leaders even today.

Sensitivity towards common people

Shastriji's life reflects his sensitivity and service spirit towards the common people. Once when he was the Home Minister and was returning from Kolkata after an official tour, his convoy got stuck in a traffic jam. The police officer suggested that the way be cleared by using sirens, but Shastriji refused it. He said that doing so would cause trouble to the general public. This was another example of his simple nature and dedication to public service.

Food crisis in the country and Shastri ji's contribution

When the food crisis arose in the country during the war with Pakistan in 1965, Shastri ji took an extraordinary step. He urged his wife to cook only one meal and appealed to the whole family to eat only once a day. Apart from this, he also requested the public to cooperate in dealing with the food crisis of the country by skipping one meal a day in a week. His step was a symbol of true patriotism and self-reliance, which united the whole country