My upcoming book on Wit and Humour of Haryana’s politicians and its people .”Chal Beta Bansi Lal”
.Gustakhi Maaf Haryana: Pawan Kumar Bansal
Extracts from my upcoming book on Wit and Humour of Haryana’s politicians and its people .”Chal Beta Bansi Lal” -In my upcoming book , one of the most impressive figures that stands out is of that of the late Bansi Lal former CM and former Union Defence Minister , a tough administrator and one of the architects of modern Haryana. The book, titled as “Chal Beta Bansi Lal”, though takes a light-hearted pot-shot at the politician, yet it gives an insightful look at the quirky incidents and anecdotes that defined his political career.
Bansi Lal, known for his no-nonsense approach to governance, was the Chief Minister of Haryana for the second time during a period when teachers in the state were protesting against his transfer policy. Their frustration with the government escalated to the point when many of them were arrested. Even the then Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, could not make any tweak in Bansi Lal’s iron-hand stance. His strong belief that teachers, if posted near their hometowns, would become too involved in local politics led him to implement a controversial policy—transferring every teacher to a school which was situated at a minimum of 20 kilometres distance from his own village. This move, though attracted a lot of criticism, evoked a piquant but interesting reaction among teachers which had a humorous side.
Those days , the only mode of transport of a common man including teachers, was a bicycle. And travelling long distance for hours every morning, to reach their place of posting was not an easy task. Because of the inconvenience, it led to coining of a humorous phrase. While angrily embarking on a gruelling ride every day , the teachers would sigh, pat their cycles seats and say loudly “Chal beta Bansi Lal!” . It was a sign of anguish and frustration among teachers of those days. But there was a positive side to this negative narrative. The strong stand taken by Bansi Lal became synonymous with the grit and determination that Bansi Lal instilled in his governance, and it was often said in jest that Bansi Lal had “taught the teachers before they could teach Haryana.” The book, originally written in Hindi 25 years ago, ( and now for English language readers )captures the wit and humour that surrounded Bansi Lal’s leadership, as well as that of other notable figures from Haryana’s political landscape.
Politicians like Devi Lal, Bhajan Lal, and more recently, Manohar Lal, have all been known for their distinctive style of governance, often mixing seriousness with humour to diffuse tense situations. This English version of the book aims to update these anecdotes, offering a new generation of readers a glimpse into the lighter side of Haryana’s politicians . The book will be structured as a collection of anecdotes, showcasing not only the humour but also the sharp political acumen of these influential leaders. As the book takes shape, I invite readers to share their inputs and suggestions for any untold stories or amusing anecdotes they might have experienced or heard regarding these legendary figures. Stay tuned for a fun-filled journey through Haryana’s political history, where wit and governance go hand in hand! The Hindi version of the book was appreciated by eminent Journalists like Khushwant Singh, Parbhash Joshi and Kuldeep Nayar besides cricketer Kapil Dev and Justice PB Sawant a former Press Council of India Chief.
The Week magazine while reviewing the book remarked ”Pawan Kumar Bansal has breathed life into anecdotes of leaders of Haryana. Book will be of interest to all Hindi readers if they are not interested in Haryana or its Aaya Rams and Gaya Rams,the Author should come with English version so that the English reading readers can also enjoy wit and humour of politicians of Haryana.” Justice PB Sawant has commented “ By bringing out the book ,the author has served a public cause besides adding to the literature on political satire. ”Eminent author Khushwant Singh has commented “I enjoyed your witty compilations and it was vastly amusing though I read Hindi with great difficulty and you should come out with its English version