Nation celebrates 116th birth anniversary of Lal Bahadur Shastri, the second Prime Minister of the country

Northeast India, along with the rest of the country also remembered the great statesman on his birth anniversary.

The nation is celebrating the 116th Birth Anniversary of Lal Bahadur Shastri, the second Prime Minister of India. The man behind the White Revolution or the national campaign to increase production and supply of milk that later resulted in the formation of milk cooperatives in Gujarat, Shastri was truely the farmers' man. His slogan "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan" is popular even today. Shastri also promoted the Green Revolution in 1965.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in paying glowing tributes to Shastri at Vijay Ghat, his memorial in New Delhi on the occasion of his birth anniversary.

Northeast India, along with the rest of the country also remembered the great statesman on his birth anniversary.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal paid humble tribute to the pragmatic leader. Sonowal described Shastri as "an epitome of simplicity and dignity….who led the nation at a crucial hour bringing prosperity to the farmers and the common man".

An epitome of dignity and simplicity, former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri ji led the nation in a crucial hour, bringing prosperity to farmers and the common man. Humble tributes to the great people's leader on his jayanti. #LalBahadurShastriJayanti pic.twitter.com/RnJy3ktW35
— Sarbananda Sonowal (@sarbanandsonwal) October 2, 2020

Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh also paid tribute to the stoic freedom fighter.

Remembering Lal Bahadur Shastri ji on his Jayanti with a deep sense of respect and gratitude for all he has done for the Nation. Simplicity was his trademark and he lived for the welfare of his people. I join the Nation in paying tribute to this great leader. pic.twitter.com/dFY7TQBAeU
— N.Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) October 2, 2020

Taking to Twitter, Tripura CM Biplab Kumar Deb wrote "Remembering Adarniya #LalBahadurShastri ji on his Jayanti."

Remembering Adarniya #LalBahadurShastri ji on his Jayanti.

His slogan of 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan' inspires us to continually work for the welfare of our fearless soldiers and our hardworking farmers. #ShastriJayanti pic.twitter.com/rfsnfzS68J
— Biplab Kumar Deb (@BjpBiplab) October 2, 2020

Born to Sharada Prasad Srivastava and Ramdulari Devi in Mugalsarai, Uttar Pradesh, Shastri shares his birthday with the Father of the Nation, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi.

He worked for the betterment of the Harijan and dropped his caste-derived surname - Srivastava. Swami Vivekananda, Annie Besant and Mahatma Gandhi had a strong influence on him and finally in the 1920s he joined the Independence movement.

Shastri was also our Railways Minister (1951-56) when he served in then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's cabinet. Shastri had resigned twice taking moral responsibility for railway accidents in 1956. He had later succeeded Nehru as the Prime Minister after Nehru's demise.

He led the country during the India-Pakistan War of 1965 that ended with the Tashkent Agreement on January 10, 1966. He died the next day on Tashkent.

Shastri was honoured with Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian award, posthumously in 1966.

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N Biren Singh