homage

Log Live Bansi Lal

THE passing away of   Babu Bansi Lal, four times chief minister of Haryana and India’s defence, railways and transport and shipping minister at the age 79 after a cardiac arrest in New Delhi on March 2 7 brings to an end an era of leader whose commitment for development and welfare of the people is already a legend. That he was an architect of the newly created state out of the wombs of Punjab is to understate the powerful personality of this simple peasant’s son who took over the reins at a young age of 41 in may 1968.  Fondly referred to as Bauji by people close to him, Bansi Lal lived and worked single-mindedly for people. It is not that political power was an anathema for him or he did not leave many sulking on the way to powerful positions, yet he struck remarkably and resolutely to his single point agenda for development. No doubt under him Haryana was the first state to achieve hundred per cent electrification way back in seventies and linking of all village with roads later on.

Seven times state legislator and four-time Member of Parliament, suffering from debilitating bronchitis; Bansi Lal was a secularist and strong believer in India’s destiny as a socialist and secular country.  But he did not wear his beliefs on the edge of his sleeves to hark before all and sundry.  He never went to temples of any faith and shunned astrologers of all types and power brokers of all kinds. No one could befool him for long time and no would dare waste time before the strong disciplinarian man. There is a legion of officers who learnt their lessons in administration as he learnt his hard way. Roads, canals, electricity and health centers and network of tourist spots bear testimony to his ideals and achievements.

The youngest ever chief minister of the state at the age of 41 in 1968, he was a workaholic to the core and known for having created the best infrastructure in the state.  He was often referred to as obstinate and stubborn by his opponents for he was a strong willed and highly disciplined man. And faced various highs and lows during his five decade political career including some controversies as well.

The man who ruled Haryana in its formative years had deep insight in to administrative matters. As the architect of the state, he initiated the industrialization in the state and the credit for rural electrification and providing road connectivity to the remotest villages in the state goes to him.  And the reason that Haryana is second only to Goa in per capita income goes to his credit. Lal was also the pioneer of highway tourism in the state - a model later adopted by a number of states.

Regardless of his fallout, the four times chief minister of Haryana did not hesitate to take unpleasant decisions if they were in the interest of the state even if he had to face public wrath for the same. One such occasion was when he imposed prohibition on Haryana in 1996, his last term as Chief Minister. In fact, he had to pay a heavy price for this decision of his. He not only had to roll back his decision but he also lost in both the subsequent elections and was indicted for creating a situation for smuggling of liquor during the 19-month prohibition period in the state between 1996 and 1998. However, he could never separate himself from the state’s political scene.

Also referred to as an obstinate and unsophisticated Haryana politician sometimes for his outspokenness, he was a close associate of Indira Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi during the Emergency when he was the Defence Minister.

Lal parted his ways with Congress in 1996 and set up Haryana Vikas Party, which stormed to power in the assembly elections held the same year on the plank of prohibition. He returned to Congress just before the Lok Sabha polls in 2004, which helped the party in its bid to oust Indian National Lok Dal, led by Om Prakash Chautala, from power in last year's assembly elections.

And when the Haryana Vikas Party, the political outfit which rode him to power in 1996, was brought down from power in 1996 and could never recover, he merged it with the Congress in 2004 prior to Assembly Elections. He remained contended in this, for his son Surender Singh’s political career was taking off at that time, until the latter was killed in a chopper crash in 2005. This devastated Bansi Lal and was a trauma that he could never recover from.

Born in Golagarh village in Bhiwani district of Haryana, Lal studied at the Punjab University Law College, Jalandhar. In 1972, the Kurukshetra University and the Haryana Agriculture University awarded him honorary degrees of Doctor of Law and Doctor of Science respectively.

Bansi Lal would gave been Bansi Lal if he had not moved out of Golagarh where he want to spend time with his mother and fellow villages and regaled them with jokes and political talks each Dewali or his hometown Bhiwani and would have left a mark though in a small way. Haryana and India offered bigger canvass and he left his indelible mark. Hail this great man!