PANDIT JAWAHAR LAL NEHRU
(14TH NOVEMBER 1889-27TH MAY 1964)
KRISHNA BALLABH SAHAY
(31ST DECEMBER 1898-3RD JUNE 1974)
Speech delivered by K. B. Sahay, Chief Minister of Bihar, in Bihar Legislative Assembly in the forenoon of 20th July 1964 (Monday) on the opening day of the seventh session of the Third Assembly.
Sir, this House passes the following resolution:
‘the death of Sri Jawahar Lal Nehru, the first
Prime Minister of Republic of India on 27th May 1964 is an
irreparable loss to the nation for which this House places on record its
heartfelt condolences. The death of Sri Jawahar Lal Nehru is an irreparable
loss not only to our nation but the world at large. Sri Nehru propagated
Panchsheel and he sacrificed his life for world peace’.
Sir, you are aware that when China attacked us we
were not prepared for this intrusion. Chinese aggression led to the loss of our
precious land. Jawahar Lal Nehru could have taken Soviet Russia or America’s
help. But he did not do so because he believed in remaining non-aligned in the
most adverse conditions and did not compromise his foreign policy despite all
hardships. The Non-Align Movement has made this world a safer place and it is
necessary for humanity.
The strength of the Non-Align Movement, which was
the brainchild of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, was witnessed on his death when the
whole world irrespective of the Communist-led WARSAW Bloc or the Capitalist-led
NATO bloc assembled to pay homage to this great leader because he was regarded
as the apostle of peace by the whole world. I believe the Chinese incursion
caused a tremendous mental agony to him that led to his untimely death.
His gumption was beyond imagination and we always
found him a lively person. He was famous for his ‘Policy of Panchsheel’
and his ‘Policy of Non-Alignment’ and he kept the nation united
despite all turmoils and reverses. He lit the flames of nationalism in the masses
from Gujarat to Gauhati and from Kashmir to Cape Comorin. People irrespective
of their religion whether they were Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians or Jains had full faith in his leadership. The tribal and people of different race
and language looked upon him as their leader. Pandit Nehru believed in the philosophy
of unity in diversity and he nurtured the various cultures and kept the nation
united. This was his greatest achievement. His next important contribution was laying
a strong foundation of industrialization in the nation by establishing heavy
industries at Chittaranjan, Bhilai, Barauni, Hatia, Patratu, and Durgapur etc and
thus making India a self-sufficient nation. He ensured that the nation gets two
square meals by establishing several river dam projects. His death is a
tremendous loss and the enormity of this loss will sink only in due course of
time.
He was probably aware that he would not survive for
long when he fell ill. Despite having a premonition of his death, he did not
impose his will on the party and did not nominate a person of his choice as his
successor, but as a true democrat left the decision to the people’s
representatives at large.
When he fell ill he knew that his death was
imminent. He could have retired to the hills in Mussourie, Shimla or Dehradoon
to recuperate but he preferred not to take rest. It was on his instructions
that the foundation stone laying ceremony of the dam on river Gandak was fixed for
5th May at Bhaisalotan (On 5th May 1964,
the Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru flew into Bhaisalotan to join H.M. King
Mahendra of Nepal to lay the Foundation Stone of a $109‐million irrigation dam on the border of these two nations on the
River Gandak at Bhaisalotan, now called Valmiki Nagar. It was Jawahar Lal Nehru's first trip out of New Delhi
since a stroke in January) His health condition was indeed pitiable; he
was unable to speak with the same eloquence for which he was famous and he was
trembling in his knees. But as a true karmayogi, he was present to grace
the occasion because for him the interest of the nation was paramount. He lived
for democracy and laid his life for the nation in the highest traditions of
democracy. I am reminded of a couple of lines from the famous poetry which sums
up his attitude to life and duty to the nation.
“Life of great men all
remind us
We can make our lives
sublime,
And departing souls
leave behind us,
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