The discussion was about the present scenario that our nation is facing and the present leadership that it has. The comparison that follows in this post will be a certain injustice but still worth a do. The Lok Sabha Elections have cleared in, ‘talk-to-the-hand’ thing’s up, the most significant win has come up for Indian Congress, but is it a win? Considering the fact that only 47% (or 49%something) people in the country voted to this effect. Glory be! That’s not my point of discussion though, it’s the leadership! Today, we have Dr. Singh as our P.M. But is he, or for that matter, anybody after Hon. Lal Bahadur Shastriji is as devoted for the nation?
Man who took moral responsibility of the train accident that claimed 160 lives in TN and therefore resigned in 1956 during his occupancy as the Railway Minister, was certainly a man of principles. Nehru had once said, "No one could wish for a better comrade than Lal Bahadur, a man of the highest integrity and devoted to ideas". A man of principles and values as he was, started the Green Revolution and the White Revolution in the country for the increased productivity. Today’s men, I hate to call them people’s representatives, have sold their scruples. After the Mumbai terror attacks, it took some shoving and cajoling to make them realize their inabilities, which then led to their resignations, which certainly didn’t come out of what they felt guilty of, but out of the fear of losing the vote banks.
How much do we know about this leader? How much do we know about his murder? How much do we know about what Indira Gandhi was all about? How much do we know about this man, who took pride and honor in serving the nation, no matter if that could claim his life? How much do we know about this PM who actually visited the site of live war between India and Pakistan in 1965, where he approved all authority to the force and said, “The force will be met with a force.” Only after UN demanded a ceasefire was the war stopped and that showed the amount of aggression this man of mild-manners had !
Today’s scenario demands a leader of that quality. What Lal bahadur Shastriji has done for the nation is unparalleled! And today’s fellow leaders are not even worth being his watchmen! What today’s so-called-leaders want is Power, Vote bank, stupid publicity and ofcourse MONEY! How immaterial has the politics grown in a country called India, one of the largest democracies! In our tender ages, we studied in civics, ‘Democracy is Government by the people for the people blah blah…..’ but its only today that we realize what it means ‘Buy the people, form the people’.
When we talk all about Shastriji, we can’t wait to mention about his mysterious death.. We had won the 1965 war, (UN forced to ceasefire), We went to Russia to discuss the ceasefire and what we got? PM’s dead body! We had almost tore Pak apart but this death/murder of Shastriji still holds an anger in our hearts, many unanswered questions, answers to which even the succeeding PM- Indira Gandhi didn’t bother to find. This thing, though, was not hyped by media, as against even the most insignificant of things blown outta proportion! Several theories that go about his death are as under-
- Shastriji wanted to send Indira Gandhi to England as the new High Commissioner (in a recent book by one of the secretaries of cabinet level). To not let this happen, she conspired against him. Can’t dismiss this possibility so easily because she is also accused to have conspired of her own son’s death. She was an overt and highly ambitious lady.
- CIA was behind Shastri’s murder. Don’t know how true this might be, but lets not deny the fact completely either.
- According to the Soviet sources, a glass of milk was bought for Shastri by personal servant of Indian Ambassador TN Kaul. This personal servant, Jan Mohammad, was never questioned or interrogated by any one in the Soviet Union or in India despite his being the prime suspect. This is indeed mystifying, because just after consuming milk Shastri complained of “pain in the chest” and “difficulty in breathing.” Thereafter the Prime Minister slipped into coma. The Soviet doctors were called in and they declared him dead
- There was no proper medical report stating the cause of his death. The Indian Govt. didn’t even try to obtain one. It’s shameful of India to have gulped down the insult this big so easily by Indian people, the Congress, The Indira Gandhi!!! Again making us re-deem in point 1. It’s a shame for all of us that we don’t even know about a prime minister who has given India a status in international showground after independence!!
- USSR wanted a government which it could use and abuse during cold war. Lal Bahadur Shastri wanted to remain neutral which was against soviet interest.
- Some theories establish that he died of the third cardiac arrest after having survived the first two.
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After Everything is Said and Done, there’s much more to be said than Done!
we can come up with as many reasons as possible.. but what makes blood inside me boil is the very inactivity of the media in making this issue a major one. Maybe Congress influence, Maybe Indira influence. What I feel is, today’s India would’ve been very different if we had him alive. Even today if a full enquiry is carried out, little would come out, but all Congress greats will shiver!
There are only few things that make us proud of this Country. And in that small list Shastriji earns a well deserved place. Murder, natural death, nobody knows. But he was somebody who could have done even more considering the money spent on the defense budget that could have gone into better areas. But we have to live with what we have. And what we have?
That I leave for you to think……..
On a very somber note,
Goodnight/day
