‘A leader who once walked streets of Assam’: Himanta Biswa Sarma remembers Lal Bahadur Shastri on birth anniversary

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on October 2 paid tribute to former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on his birth anniversary, recalling the late leader’s role in addressing the state’s contentious language issue in the early 1960s.

Shastri, who served as Union Home Minister before becoming Prime Minister in 1964, visited Assam in June 1961 amid tensions over the state’s official language policy. During his visit, he held discussions with political leaders and subsequently proposed an eight-point set of measures aimed at addressing concerns over language rights, particularly in Cachar and among linguistic minorities.

The proposals included safeguards for linguistic minorities and provisions for the continued use of English in certain official communications. They later became associated with what came to be known as the ‘Shastri Formula’. The Assam Official Language Act was subsequently amended in 1961.

Recalling Shastri’s connection with Assam, Sarma wrote on X, “On Lal Bahadur Shastri Jayanti, I remember a leader who once walked the streets of Assam.”

“As Home Minister, Shraddheya Shastri Ji crafted the historic formula that helped heal Assam's language agitation and later visited Guwahati as Prime Minister, a memory our state still holds close,” the chief minister said.

Sarma also described Shastri as a leader known for “simplicity, sacrifice and quiet strength” and said his life continued to inspire those in public service.

Born on October 2, 1904, Shastri served as India’s second Prime Minister from June 1964 until his death in January 1966. He was also a prominent figure in the freedom movement and spent several years in British prisons before Independence.

October 2 is observed as Lal Bahadur Shastri Jayanti across the country. The day also marks the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.