Chaudhary Charan Singh is undoubtedly one of the tallest Jat leaders of independent India, who went on to become the fifth prime minister of India, although briefly in 1979.
For a son of the soil, this was by no means a small achievement for a farmer who gradually worked up his way from becoming chief minister of Uttar Pradesh to the prime minister of the world's largest democracy.
Starting his political career with the Indian National Congress in 1929, he became chief minister of Uttar Pradesh in 1967 and even the Union Home Minister. Uttar Pradesh has remained one of the most difficult as well as important states to rule, ever since Indian independence.
A no-nonsense politician, he parted ways with the Congress to form his party, christened Bharatiya Lok Dal.
A champion for the cause of farmers and the agricultural sector, Chaudhary Charan Singh implemented the policy of abolition of zamindari in Uttar Pradesh.
Though he is among those whose contribution to society should have been honoured long ago, the BJP-led NDA Government has done well by bestowing the Bharat Ratna upon him posthumously, 37 years after his demise.
His contributions to Indian politics and advocacy for farmers remain unparalleled. Several stories of his simple lifestyle are widely quoted to serve as examples for young politicians.
When Charan Singh was Union Minister for Agriculture, he would personally visit fields and interact with farmers to get first-hand information about their problems. His deep understanding of agricultural issues made him a popular mass leader, something that served him well till his end.
Connected to the ground, as chief minister, he once stopped his car convoy to help push a farmer's cart stuck on the roadside. At another time he was spotted ironing his clothes at a railway station while waiting for a train.
He was a man with a strong personality and took on former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi politically but was gracious to appreciate her strengths. Despite differences with her once he compared her tenacity to that of Jhansi ki Rani.
Charan Singh was a workaholic who was devoted to politics and national affairs. Even on the day of his son's wedding, he left the festivities halfway to attend an urgent cabinet meeting.
When he became Prime Minister, Charan Singh did not move to the PM's official residence citing a shortage of time. Instead, he preferred to work from his small home office to remain focused on national tasks.
The late Jat leader championed the cause of farmers and played a significant role in nation-building. He was an avid reader and a strong advocate of democracy. His resistance against the Emergency and his commitment to democracy are well known.
His love for reading was well known and people would often find in buried in a book during short breaks between political meetings. The depth of his knowledge across subjects was evidenced in his powerful speeches.
Charan Singh was greatly inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and this pushed him to become a freedom fighter. Active from 1931 onwards, he was jailed twice by the British. In 1937 was elected as a member of the Legislative Assembly of the United Provinces during which time he built an ideological and practical stand against the exploitation of tillers of the land by landlords.
This helped him maintain his stature as a Jat leader all his life. Bestowing the Bharat Ratna upon him now will go a long way in making up for the delay and acknowledging his lifelong contribution towards uplifting the men connected with the soil.
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