Birth anniversary of Bansi Lal, architect of modern Haryana
August 26 marks the birth anniversary of Bansi Lal, whose legacy continues to inspire awe to this day, 18 years after his death. A part of the legendary Lal trio of Haryana politics — along with Devi Lal and Bhajan Lal — Bansi Lal is widely considered as the architect of modern Haryana, helping the new state stand on its feet.
Born on August 26,1927, to Choudhary Mohar Singh and Vidya Devi at Golagarh in Bhiwani district, Bansi Lal was first elected to the Haryana Assembly in 1967 from Tosham (Bhiwani). On May 31, 1968, he became the third Chief Minister of Haryana, and also the country’s youngest chief minister at age 41.
He occupied the CM’s post four times in his political career, which included seven stints as an MLA and five as an MP. Besides, he served at the Centre as a minister multiple times.
The electrification of Haryana, the Maruti car project, agricultural development and highway tourism were some of his notable achievements, putting Haryana on a higher trajectory of growth.
However, his “authoritarian traits”, especially against his political opponents and the critical media, set him apart from the contemporary politicians.
Bansi Lal came into the national limelight after the imposition of the Emergency by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975. A close confidant of Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay, Bansi Lal was part of the “Emergency caucus” along with, among others, VC Shukla and Om Mehta. The role of this group for harsh decisions taken during the Emergency came under sharp focus in the investigation of the Shah Commission of Inquiry after the Emergency.
Bansi Lal was India’s Defence Minister from December 21, 1975, to March 24, 1977, and a minister without a portfolio in the Union Government from December 1, 1975, to December 20, 1975.
He lost from his pocket borough of Bhiwani in the 1977 Lok Sabha elections during the Janata Party wave. However, he staged a comeback in 1984, serving as a minister in the Rajiv Gandhi regime at the Centre.
In 1996, Bansi floated a separate political outfit, the Haryana Vikas Party, and formed the government in the state on the promise of the imposition of prohibition, which later proved to be a failure.
In 2004, he returned to the Congress and helped it win the 2005 Assembly polls. Though he himself did not contest the 2005 polls, his sons — Ranbir Mahendra and Surender Singh — posted wins. Surender Singh died in a helicopter crash near Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh on March 31, 2005.
Bansi Lal himself died in New Delhi on March 28, 2006, at age 78.
His family remains deeply connected with the state politics. Kiran Choudhry, the wife of Surender Singh, recently joined the BJP along with her daughter, Shruti. Kiran has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the BJP.
