Chaudhary Charan Singh death anniversary: Former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, who was recently posthumously conferred with the Bharat Ratna, was a significant figure in Indian politics, particularly renowned for his advocacy of farmers' rights and land reforms. Today, the nation observes the death anniversary of the former Prime Minister, who had dedicated his life for the welfare of the farmers and labourers. While many know about his contributions, there are indeed some lesser-known facts about him.
Chaudhary Charan Singh was born on December 23, 1902, in Noorpur in the Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh in a middle-class peasant family and died on May 29, 1987, at the age of 84. His birth anniversary, December 23, is celebrated as Kisan Diwas. He served as the 5th Prime Minister of India between 28 July 1979 and 14 January 1980. It was a time when India was reeling under political turmoil and recovering from the Emergency. Singh was deeply committed to agricultural reforms. He introduced several measures aimed at improving the condition of farmers, including land reforms and the implementation of policies to protect farmers' interests.
Here are some lesser-known facts about Chaudhary Charan Singh
- He was the first and only Indian PM who never faced the Parliament during his tenure.
- Despite the brevity of his tenure, Chaudhary Charan Singh was able to hoist the Indian tricolor at the Red Fort in Delhi on August 15, 1979.
- He was also the second Deputy Prime Minister of India after Morarji Desai who became the Prime Minister.
- Popularly known as a champion of farmers, he opposed to the country's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's socialist economy and he advocated ownership rights to the farmers.
- He was sentenced to jail for six months for breaking the salt law in 1930. He was also sentenced to one year’s imprisonment in 1940. He was released in October 1941 and was arrested again in 1942 under the Defence of India Rule.
- Singh led a simple life and spent his spare time reading and writing. He was the author of several books and pamphlets, including ‘Abolition of Zamindari’, ‘Co-operative Farming X-rayed’, ‘India’s Poverty and its Solution’, ‘Peasant Proprietorship or Land to the Workers’ and ‘Prevention of Division of Holdings Below a Certain Minimum’.
