One of the builders of modern day India and the country’s second Prime Minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri was known as a humble and selfless yet powerful leader who lead the country during tough times after the death of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru. The political stalwart’s life, works, thoughts, statesmanship and Lal Bahadur Shastri quotes continue to inspire the nation even decades after his death.
Also read: 8 Interesting Facts About Lal Bahadur Shastri We Bet You Didn’t Know
While Shastri Ji held the post of the Prime Minister for less than 2 years, his role in White revolution, Green Revolution and the 1965 India-Pakistan War has been very critical and crucial in the making of the modern day India. Standing just about 5 feet tall, soft spoken and extremely humble in his lifestyle, Lal Bahadur Shastri stunned Pakistan and the world during the 1965 War when he decided to escalate the conflict moving troops aggressively on India’s Western border. Indian troops were able to march till Dograi – a town in Pakistan about 12 kms away from Lahore forcing Pakistani troops to abandon their seize in Indian Controlled Kashmir and defend their Western borders. This move by India under the leadership of Lal Bahadur Shastri changed the fate of the war and history that followed.
We bring you some of the best Lal Bahadur Shastri quotes about his freedom, patriotism and his vision for India.
1. While I am a Hindu, Mir Mushtaq who is presiding over this meeting is a Muslim. Mr. Frank Anthony who has addressed you is a Christian. There are also Sikhs and Parsis here. The unique thing about our country is that we have Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Parsis and people of all other religions. We have temples and mosques, gurdwaras and churches. But we do not bring all this into politics. This is the difference between India & Pakistan. – Lal Bahadur Shastri
One of the most famous Lal Bahadur quotes on Indian Secularism
2. India will have to hang down her head in shame if even one person is left who is said in any way to be untouchable. – Lal Bahadur Shastri
3. In this vast country of ours, people profess different religions, speak different languages, dress differently and observe different customs; but we are one nation; the history of our struggle for independence and our faith in our future development are our common bonds. – Lal Bahadur Shastri
4. That loyalty to the country comes ahead of all other loyalties. And this is an absolute loyalty, since one cannot weight it in terms of what one receives. – Lal Bahadur Shastri
5. My patriotism is subservient to my religion. I cling to India like a child to its mother’s breast, because I feel that she gives me the spiritual nourishment I need. She has the environment that responds to my highest aspiration. – Lal Bahadur Shastri
6. The preservation of freedom, is not the task of soldiers alone. The whole nation has to be strong. – Lal Bahadur Shastri
7. I want the freedom of my country so that other countries may learn something from my free country so that the resources of my country might be utilized for the benefit of mankind. – Lal Bahadur Shastri
8. Our country has often stood like a solid rock in the face of common danger, and there is a deep underlying unity which runs like a golden thread through all our seeming diversity. – Lal Bahadur Shastri
9. We must fight for peace bravely as we fought in war. – Lal Bahadur Shastri
10. We believe in the dignity of man as an individual, whatever his race, color or creed, and his right to better, fuller, and richer life. – Lal Bahadur Shastri
11. Discipline and united action are the real source of strength for the nation. – Lal Bahadur Shastri
12. There comes a time in the life of every nation when it stands at the crossroads of history and must choose which way to go. – Lal Bahadur Shastri
13. We believe in freedom, freedom for the people of each country to follow their destiny without external interference. – Lal Bahadur Shastri
14. I am not as simple as I look. – Lal Bahadur Shastri
15. If Pakistan has any ideas of annexing any part of our territories by force, she should think afresh. I want to state categorically that force will be met with force and aggression a gainst us will never be allowed to succeed. – Lal Bahadur Shastri
16. Jai Jawan… Jai Kisan… – Lal Bahadur Shastri
The most iconic and powerful amongst all the Lal Bahadur Shastri quotes that speak of the important roles of soldiers and farmers in building the nation.
Shastri Ji had an extremely unfortunate and mysterious death in Tashkent – a day after signing the treaty that ended the 1965 India-Pakistan conflict. Had he served the nation a little longer, India would have seen its growth and development at a faster pace.
Which of these Lal Bahadur Shastri quotes did you find the most inspirational?
