Bansi Lal, also known as Chaudhary Bansi Lal, was a well known Indian freedom fighter, senior leader of the Indian National Congress and was the former Chief Minister of Haryana state. He is widely considered as the architect of modern state of Haryana. He served as the Chief Minister of Haryana for 3 distinct terms, from 1968 to 1975, 1985 to 1987 and from 1996 to 1999. Bansi Lal was a close associate of Indira Gandhi, former Indian Prime Minister. He was a confidante of her son Sanjay Gandhi during the period of Emergency in 1975. He was appointed as the Defence Minister from December 1975 and served the position till March 1977. He also served as a Minister Without Portfolio in the Union government for a brief period in the year 1975. Bansi Lal held the Railways and Transport portfolios also. Later he was elected to the State Assembly for around 7 times, starting in 1967. Lal established Haryana Vikas Party after moving away from the Indian National Congress in the year 1996.
Early Life of Bansi Lal
Bansi Lal was born on 26 August 1927 in a Jat family of Golagarh village, situated in the district of Bhiwani in Haryana state. He successfully completed his education from the Punjab University Law College in Jalandhar.
Political Career of Bansi Lal
Bansi Lal actively participated in the Indian freedom struggle and greatly contributed to the cause. He acted as the secretary of Parja mandal in the princely state of Loharu from the year 1943 to 1944. He was also the president of the Bar Association in Bhiwani from 1957 to 1958. Later he served as the president of District Congress Committee in Hissar from the year 1959 to 1962 and eventually became member of Congress Parliamentary Board and the Congress Working Committee. Bansi Lal became a member of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee in 1958 and stayed as a member till 1962. Lal was the chairman of the Committee of Parliament and Committee on Public Undertakings also from 1980 to 1982. He also served as the chairman of Committee on Estimates from 1982 to 1984.
Bansi Lal was appointed as the Railways Minister on 31 December 1984 and became the Minister of Transport later. He became a member of Rajya Sabha from the year 1960 to 1966 and again from 1976 to 1980. Lal was appointed as member of Lok Sabha from the year 1980 to 1984, 1985 to 1986 and 1989 to 1991. After Bansi Lal left the Indian National Congress Party in the year 1996, he formed the Haryana Vikas Party.
Bansi Lal as Chief Minister
Bansi Lal was elected as the Chief Minister of Haryana state for 4 times in the years 1968, 1972, 1986 and 1996. He was appointed as the 3rd chief minister of the state after Bhagwat Dayal Sharma and Rao Birender Singh. Lal served as the chief minister for the initial time in the year 1968 and served in office till 13 March 1972. He was elected in the same position for the second time on 14 March 1972. He remained in office till 30 November 1975. He acquired the position of in Chief Minister the state for and fourth times from 5 June 1986 to 19 June 1987 and 11 May 1996 to 23 July 1999. Bansi Lal was elected to the state assembly for almost 7 times, beginning in the year 1967 and later in the years 1968, 1972, 1986, 1991 and 2000. Bansi Lal did not participate in the 2005 assembly elections but his sons Ranbir Singh Mahendra and Surender Singh were elected to the state assembly.
Bansi Lal died on 28 March 2006 in New Delhi due to ill health.
Honours of Bansi Lal
He was awarded the honorary degrees of Doctor of Science and Doctor of Law by the Haryana Agricultural University and the Kurukshetra University respectively in the year 1972.
