The members and the leaders of the ‘Servants of the People Society’ were members of the Congress party on the political front. So, most of them were serving the dual functions. Lal Bahadur was a functionary of the society and the Congress party as well. The founder of the society Lala Lajpat Rai was a prominent Congress leader.
Lal Bahadur was stationed at Allahabad head office of the society in 1929. Then, Purushottam Das Tandon was its president. The founder of the society Lala Lajpat Rai had met Shastri and was greatly impressed with his zeal and dedication.
Later, Lal Bahadur Shastri succeeded Purushottam Das as the president of the society and held the post till his death in 1966.
Shastri held Purushottam Das Tandon in high esteem. On most of the political matters they held similar views. They combined together well. Tandon was also the secretary of the District Congress Committee. When Shastri was appointed Secretary of the Congress Committee the two developed closer relationship.
It was this post which introduced Shastri to other Congress leaders.
Shastri was a good orator. It won him many admirers and followers. As the functionary of the party he successfully executed several missions assigned to him. His usefulness was appreciated by many leaders.
Allahabad had given Congress two valuable and great leaders in Jawaharlal Nehru and Purushottam Das Tandon.
Jawahar Lal was a charismatic leader coming from a rich family. He was the son of Pandit Moti Lal Nehru, a barrister and a prominent Congress leader of old generation. Jawahar Lal was young and the favourite of Gandhiji. Tandon was a man of learning and a political theorist.
The two leaders did not see eye to eye on several political subjects and opinions. They were opponents politically.
Shastri had to serve both of them in two offices in the capacity of the secretary of the society and the secretary of the Congress Committee. He admired both the personalities. Tandon was a great thinker while Jawahar Lal was popular and highly educated charismatic leader. Jawahar Lal had grown great liking for Lal Bahadur Shastri who assisted him in handling the correspondence. After a short time Jawahar Lal trusted Shastri so completely that he gave the later authority to deal with all the matters of correspondence on his behalf.
Serving both the leaders was like travelling in two boats with one foot in each one. The supporters of both the leaders targetted Lal Bahadur Shastri for partiality. The groups were too antagonistic to understood each other’s point of view.
Lal Bahadur Shastri very adroitly devised a diplomatic middle path which suited more to the interests of the party without offending any party or short changing any side. The middle path created by him successfully harmonised the divergent lines of thinking. His skillful handling made many a leader sit up and reassess the short little man on upward scale. He was slowly and steadily rising in the eyes of his colleagues to the delight of his band of admirers.
Lal Bahadur was silently bringing the two divergent personalities closer to each other. A mutual respect was budding in the hearts of Jawahar Lal and Purushottam Das Tandon which could blossom into a friendship on equal terms.
Meanwhile, Gandhi’s non-violence idea was making waves in the country. Initially his idea was poo-poohed as an impracticable idea and some even dismissed it with contempt. But Gandhi was proving everyone wrong and the people could see how non-violent satyagraha was effective against the brutal force of the British rulers. More and more people were joining to give strength to the movement.
Lal Bahadur Shastri was becoming more and more converted to Gandhiji’s thinking. He wanted to be his soldier of non-violence. Gandhi’s fakir like simple life was close to Shastri’s own life style. Gandhi’s volunteers were facing the bullets and Lathis with non-violence in his movements. He wanted more volunteers. How could Shastri keep away from the call of his ideal.
He registered his name among the volunteers going to Sholapur in a movement.
The news alarmed Tandon. He asked Shastri to change his decision as there was danger to his life. Anything could go wrong anytime. The non-violence appeared to him a crazy idea.
But Lal Bahadur was adamant upon joining Gandhi’s forces of non-violence.
In desperation Tandon sent a message to Lalita asking her to somehow stop Lal Bahadur from going on Sholapur mission because it entailed danger to his life. He was clearly playing upon the fears of a traditional Hindu wife.
It did frighten Lalita. She had read about dreadful things happening at Sholapur. She passed on the information to her mother-in-law hoping that the old women would stop her son from going to dangerous Sholapur.
But the old woman disappointed her. She said, “My Nanhe is capable of taking right decision. He is a wise man. There has to be something good if he has decided to go.”
Lalita fretted in a state of disturbed mind. After finishing household chores she marched to Lal Bahadur’s room. The husband sensed his wife’s defiant mood.
She registered her protest by saying, “You know how bad situation at Sholapur is. Why have you decided to go?”
Shastri reasoned, “That is my call of the duty. The service to the motherland. But we are still to finalise the date of my departure.”
Lalita stood anguished. Had her husband no thought for her and his mother? At last she said, “Alright, then I will also come with you to Sholapur.”
Shastri shook his head in disapproval, “No, that is impossible. We can’t leave the mother to fend for herself. She is too old and needs constant caring, you know.”
“I will come with you. The sister-in-law will look after the mother or we will get someone to do the job,” Lalita insisted.
Shastri looked at her in surprises. His wife had never acted in such uncooperative mood. It came as a small shock.
He dismissed her obstinacy by saying, “No, you shall not come.” Then, he went to sleep.
Lalita’s mind was too agitated to let her sleep. She began to cry and became hysterical. Shastri woke up but did not open his eyes. He pretended to sleep. Shastri now realised that he could not leave his wife in such condition.
He sighed and offered truce, “If my going to Sholapur so upsets you I won’t go provided you give me a solemn promise.”
“What promise?” Lalita asked hopefully.
“Never in future will you again interfere in the matters of my duty to the party and the nation.”
“I give you promise. But don’t go to Sholapur this time.” Lalita was satisfied at the happy ending of the episode.
She kept up her promise. She didn’t meddle in his political affairs. Gradually as the political things were happening and her husband was getting involved in it deeper and deeper the realisation dawned on her that her husband was an important man indeed on whom the countrymen too had right claim. She had no business to be an obstacle in his path.
Then, she became mother of several children over the period of time which claimed good part of her time.
