Devi Lal

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Devi Lal
Postage stamp portrait
Deputy Prime Minister of India
In office
10 November 1990 – 21 June 1991
Prime MinisterChandra Shekhar
Preceded byHimself
Succeeded byL. K. Advani (2002)
In office
2 December 1989 – 1 August 1990
Prime MinisterV. P. Singh
Preceded byYashwantrao Chavan (1980)
Succeeded byHimself
Chief Minister of Haryana
In office
17 July 1987 – 2 December 1989
GovernorS. M. H. Burney (till 1988)
Hari Anand Barari (from 1988)
Preceded byBansi Lal
Succeeded byOm Prakash Chautala
In office
21 June 1977 – 28 June 1979
GovernorHarcharan Singh Brar
Preceded byBanarsi Das Gupta
Succeeded byBhajan Lal
President of Indian National Lok Dal
In office
17 October 1996 – 6 April 2001
Succeeded byOm Prakash Chautala
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office
2 December 1989 - 13 March 1991
Preceded byBalram Jakhar
Succeeded byBalram Jakhar
ConstituencySikar, Rajasthan
In office
18 January 1980 - 31 December 1984
Preceded byMukhtiar Singh Malik
Succeeded byDharam Pal Singh Malik
ConstituencySonepat, Haryana
Personal details
BornDevi Dayal Sihag
(1914-09-25)25 September 1914
Teja Khera, Punjab, British India
Died6 April 2001(2001-04-06) (aged 86)
New Delhi, Delhi, India
Political partyIndian National Lok Dal (1996–2001)
Other political
affiliations
SpouseHarki Devi
RelationsAjay Singh Chautala (grandson), Naina Singh Chautala (granddaughter in law), Abhay Singh Chautala (grandson), Dushyant Chautala (great-grandson), Arjun Chautala (great-grandson)
Children4, including Om Prakash Chautala (son) and Ranjit Singh Chautala (son)
Occupation
  • Statesman
  • politician
NicknameTau (elder uncle)

Devi Lal (25 September 1914 – 6 April 2001), also known as Chaudhary Devi Lal, was an Indian statesman, Independence activist, and peasant leader who served as the Deputy Prime Minister of India.[1] He was a well known face in the Indian politics, and was known for championing the rights of farmers and rural communities, earning him the title “Tau” (elder uncle).[2] In a political career spanned over six decades, Lal played a pivotal role in the formation of Haryana as a separate state in 1966, and later served as its chief minister for two terms (1977–1979, 1987–1989). He was associated with multiple political parties in India, including the Indian National Congress, Janata Party, Lokdal, and later his own Indian National Lok Dal.[3]

Born in Teja Khera village, Sirsa (now in Haryana), he joined the Indian independence movement in his youth and was imprisoned for participating in civil disobedience campaigns. A advocate of farmers’ rights, he emerged as a mass leader in Punjab and played a decisive role in the creation of Haryana in 1966.

He later on served as the chief minister of Haryana from 1977 to 1979, and again from 1987 to 1989. He then transitioned to the central politics. Following the 1989 Indian general election, Lal refused the prime ministerial post and became deputy prime minister of India. He held the deputy prime minister position under the V. P. Singh government and again in Chandra Shekhar government. He held various cabinet ministerial portfolios including the Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1998 from Haryana as a member of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD).

Many memorials were named after him including the Chaudhary Devi Lal University, Chaudhary Devi Lal Memorial Government Engineering College and Chaudhary Devi Lal Herbal Nature Park.

Early life and personal life

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Devi Lal was born on 25 September 1914 in Teja Khera village, Sirsa district, Punjab (now in Haryana), British India, to a wealthy Jat family.[4] His father, Lekh Ram Sihag, was a landowner with 2750 bighas (687.5 acres) of land, and his mother was Shugna Devi.[5][6] The family relocated to Chautala village in 1919, when Lal was five years old. His education was limited; he attended middle school and later quit in 1930 to join the Indian freedom movement, inspired by figures like Mahatma Gandhi, Bhagat Singh, and Lala Lajpat Rai. At the age of 16, in 1928, he participated in a demonstration led by Lala Lajpat Rai, and in 1930, he was arrested during a protest as part of the Civil Disobedience and the Kisan (farmers’) Movement. He also trained in wrestling at an akhara in Badal, Punjab, during his youth. Lal came from a politically active family; his elder brother, Sahib Ram Sihag, served as a Congress MLA from Hisar in 1938 and 1947.[7] His ancestral roots trace back to Bikaner, Rajasthan, from where his great-grandfather Teja Ram had migrated to Haryana.[8]

Devi Lal married Harki Devi at an early age.[9] Together, they had four sons—Om Prakash Chautala, Partap Singh, Ranjit Singh, and Jagdish Chander (also referred to as Jagdish Kumar, who died young)—and one daughter, Shanti Devi. Several of his children entered politics: Om Prakash Chautala served as Chief Minister of Haryana multiple times, while Partap Singh and Ranjit Singh also pursued political careers.[10]

Pre-independence India

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Lal became involved in the Indian independence movement during his early youth.[11] Inspired by leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Dayanand Saraswati, Bhagat Singh, Subhas Chandra Bose, Vallabhbhai Patel, and Lala Lajpat Rai, Lal developed an early interest in anti-colonial activism and agrarian issues. In 1928, at the age of 14, he participated in a protest against the Simon Commission led by Lala Lajpat Rai in Lahore. The following year, he attended the Indian National Congress session held on the banks of the Ravi River in Lahore, where the demand for complete independence (Purna Swaraj) was adopted.[12]

Drawn to the Congress party, Lal left his studies during his 10th class to take part in the freedom struggle. His activism intensified during the Civil Disobedience Movement and the Kisan (Peasants’) Movement, which focused on agrarian grievances against colonial land policies.[12][4] In August 1930, inspired by Gandhi’s Salt March, he led the Kaluwala Morcha, a local satyagraha protesting British salt laws, and was arrested at a Congress office in Hisar. He was sentenced to one year of rigorous imprisonment in Hisar Jail and later transferred to the Borstal Institute and Juvenile Jail in Lahore on 4 January 1931. He was released on 5 March 1931 under the Gandhi–Irwin Pact.[12]

Following Gandhi’s resumption of the Civil Disobedience Movement, Lal was arrested again on 4 January 1933 and released in May 1934 when the campaign was temporarily withdrawn. Over the course of the 1930s, he was arrested seven times for his participation in satyagraha campaigns, often alongside his elder brother, Sahib Ram, both of whom spent extended periods in jail.[13]

During the Quit India Movement of 1942, Lal was arrested on 5 October 1942 and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment in Multan Jail, being released in October 1943. In August 1944, Sir Chhotu Ram, then Punjab’s Revenue Minister, and Lajpat Rai Alakhpura visited Chautala village and urged the brothers to join the Unionist party, but both refused and remained aligned with the Congress party.[14]

Lal and his brother became prominent figures in the Congress organisation in the Haryana region (then part of Punjab), mobilising peasants against revenue policies and the zamindari system. In 1938, Lal was selected as a delegate to the All India Congress Committee, marking his growing prominence within the party.[15] After India gained independence in 1947, Lal continued to focus on agrarian reform and farmers’ rights.

Post independence

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Entry into Politics and Role in Punjab (1947–1966)

Following independence, Devi Lal became active in farmers’ movements in Punjab, which then included present-day Haryana. Coming from a landowning family, he sought to address tenancy rights, irrigation issues, and rural economic challenges in the early 1950s. He launched an agitation demanding reforms to land laws, which led to his arrest along with several hundred supporters. The protest resulted in amendments to the Muzzara Act, marking his emergence as a prominent farmers’ leader.[16]

Devi Lal began his legislative career as a member of the Indian National Congress (INC), contesting and winning from the Sirsa constituency in the 1952 Punjab Legislative Assembly elections. In 1956, he became president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, a position that strengthened his influence at the state level.[17] He was re-elected from Sirsa in 1958 and served as deputy leader of the opposition in the Punjab Assembly from 1962 to 1967. He was an advocate of Haryana’s separation from Punjab on linguistic and cultural grounds and played a significant role in the movement that led to the formation of the state of Haryana on 1 November 1966.[18]

Realignment and Emergency Period (1967–1977)

Devi Lal with Banarsi Das Gupta, former chief minister of Haryana

Devi Lal left the Congress Party in 1971, citing differences over agricultural and rural policies.[19] He contested the 1972 Haryana Assembly elections unsuccessfully but won from Rori in 1974. During the Emergency imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975, he was imprisoned for 19 months, alongside many other opposition leaders.[20]

First Tenure as Chief Minister (1977–1979)

The Janata Party’s electoral success in the post-Emergency 1977 elections marked a turning point in Devi Lal’s career. Winning from Bhattu Kalan, he became Chief Minister of Haryana on 21 June 1977. His government introduced measures such as debt waivers for farmers, irrigation projects, and rural electrification, alongside initiatives to improve opportunities for backward communities. Political instability within the Janata Party, however, led to his resignation on 28 June 1979.[2][21]

Lok Dal and Second Chief Ministership (1980–1989)

In the early 1980s, Devi Lal established the Lok Dal party, consolidating his support base among Haryana’s farmers. He served as a Member of Parliament from Sonipat between 1980 and 1982, and as an MLA from Meham between 1982 and 1987. His leadership of the Haryana Sangharsh Samiti and the Nyaya Yuddh (battle for justice) campaign during this period focused on rural grievances, including rising agricultural costs and infrastructure needs.[22][23]

The 1987 Haryana Assembly elections marked one of the largest electoral victories in the state’s history, with his alliance winning 85 out of 90 seats. Sworn in as Chief Minister of Haryana for the second time on 17 July 1987, Devi Lal’s administration expanded welfare measures such as pensions for senior citizens, free electricity for farmers up to a limit, and agricultural loan waivers.[24] His tenure, however, also drew criticism over allegations of nepotism, particularly regarding the political rise of his son, Om Prakash Chautala. Devi Lal resigned as Chief Minister on 2 December 1989 to enter national politics.[25]

Deputy Prime Minister of India (1989–1991)

Devi Lal contested and won the 1989 general elections from both Sikar (Rajasthan) and Rohtak (Haryana) constituencies as a Janata Dal candidate. Devi Lal was seniormost and had strong backing, especially in northern India and Haryana. Many MPs proposed his name as PM. At the crucial parliamentary party meeting, Lal dramatically announced that instead of himself, he proposed V. P. Singh for prime minister post. He became the deputy prime minister of India on 2 December 1989.[26] In this role, he also served as Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Tourism. The period was politically significant for the implementation of the Mandal Commission’s recommendations, which introduced job reservations for Other Backward Classes.[27]

After the fall of the V. P. Singh government in November 1990, Devi Lal continued as Deputy Prime Minister in Chandra Shekhar’s short-lived ministry until June 1991. His tenure highlighted his influence in coalition politics, though he often clashed with party colleagues.

Later Career and Formation of INLD (1991–2001)

In 1996, Devi Lal founded the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), which became a major political party in Haryana. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1998 and remained active in politics until his death. Leadership of the INLD was later assumed by his son, Om Prakash Chautala.[28]

Electoral history

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Member of the Legislative Assembly

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# From To Position Party
1. 1952 1957 MLA from Sirsa, Punjab INC
2. 1959 1962 MLA from Sirsa, Punjab INC
3. 1962 1967 MLA from Fatehabad, Haryana IND
4. 1974^ 1977 MLA from Rori, Haryana
4. 1977 1980 MLA from Bhattu Kalan, Haryana JP
5. 1982 1987 MLA from Meham, Haryana LKD
6. 1987 1991 MLA from Meham, Haryana LKD

Member of Parliament

[edit]
# From To Position Party
1. 1980 1985 Member of the 7th Lok Sabha from Sonipat, Haryana JP(S)
2. 1989 1989 Member of the 9th Lok Sabha from Rohtak, Haryana JD
3. 1989 1991 Member of the 9th Lok Sabha from Sikar, Rajasthan JD
4. 1998 2001 Member of the Rajya Sabha from Haryana INLD

Death

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Lal died on 6 April 2001, at the age of 86. He died at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in New Delhi after a cardiac arrest. He was admitted to the hospital on 29 March 2001 and he was a patient of hypertension. The Government of Haryana declared a seven day mourning.[29]

The then prime minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee mourned the death of Devi Lal and said:[30]

The nation has lost a popular political leader who was a true son of the soil. Choudhary Saheb epitomised all the qualities of a good grassroot Indian political leader. His contribution to the advancement of the cause of India’s toiling kisans will especially be remembered for a long time. ‘Tau’, as he was lovingly addressed by all, was a great patriot who struggled throughout his long life for changing the priorities of our national development in favour of villages, farmers, and other underprivileged people.

— Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Legacy

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Devi Lal is widely remembered as one of India’s most prominent farmer leaders and a key figure in shaping Haryana’s political landscape. Popularly called Tau (elder uncle), he earned a reputation for his grassroots approach, bold leadership style, and commitment to agrarian issues.[31] His early activism against British colonial policies, particularly his unconventional methods of protest during the Quit India Movement, helped establish him as a fearless and popular leader among rural communities.[32][33]

Devi Lal on 2001 postage stamp of India

As Chief Minister of Haryana, Devi Lal introduced several welfare-oriented policies, the most notable being the universal old-age pension scheme in 1987, which made Haryana the first state in India to provide a monthly pension to all senior citizens above 65 years of age, regardless of caste or income. This scheme became a model for other states and later influenced national-level welfare policies.[34][35]

Devi Lal also played a significant role in national coalition politics during the 1980s and 1990s. He was instrumental in the formation of the Janata Dal and the National Front coalition, which ended decades of Congress dominance in Indian politics. In 1989, he came close to becoming the Prime Minister of India but withdrew his candidature in favour of Vishwanath Pratap Singh, underscoring his reputation as a selfless statesman. He later became the first and only leader in India’s history to take oath explicitly as Deputy Prime Minister by title, a move that sparked constitutional debates.[27]

Known for his rustic simplicity and blunt political style, Devi Lal often used unconventional means to mobilise support, including dramatic protests and mass farmer rallies. His tenure also witnessed political confrontations, including his famous altercation with Haryana’s Governor G.D. Tapase in 1982.[36]

Numerous institutions, roads, and public places in Haryana and beyond have been named in his honour, including the Chaudhary Devi Lal University, Chaudhary Devi Lal Memorial Government Engineering College and Chaudhary Devi Lal Herbal Nature Park.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Lewis, Paul (16 April 2001). "Devi Lal, 86, Expert in Weaving His Way Through Indian Politics". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Devi Lal: Original Tau of Indian politics, popular farmer leader". Times of India. 25 September 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  3. ^ Bhatia, Varinder (25 September 2022). "The party Devi Lal founded: INLD's past perfect, present tense and future uncertain". The Indian Express. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
  4. ^ a b Pandya, Haresh (19 April 2001). "Chaudhuri Devi Lal". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 September 2025. A champion of peasant farmers, and leader of the Jat community of Haryana
  5. ^ Gupta, Jugal Kishore (1991). History of Sirsa Town. Atlantic Publishers & Distri.
  6. ^ "Remembering Chaudhary Devi Lal (Tau) on his death anniversary". Free Press Journal. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  7. ^ "Bahu Naina broke glass ceiling of Chautala family politics". The Indian Express. 24 January 2019. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  8. ^ "Om Prakash Chautala's ancestors came from Rajasthan". The Times of India. 25 January 2013. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  9. ^ "Devi Lal News Photo Harki Devi, wife of Devi Lal Indian..." Times Of India. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  10. ^ Jagga, Rakhi (15 November 2018). "In Chautala, villagers say family feud no surprise". The Indian Express. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  11. ^ "Devi Lal, 86, Expert in Weaving His Way Through Indian Politics (Published 2001)". 16 April 2001. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  12. ^ a b c "CH. DEVI LAL: A GREAT ADVOCATE FOR STATE WELFARISM" (PDF). International Journal of Research in Economics and Social Sciences(IJRESS). Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  13. ^ "Om Prakash Chautala's ancestors came from Rajasthan". The Times of India. 25 January 2013. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  14. ^ Chaudhary Devi Lal: Life Work and Philosophy. Gurgaon: Hope India Publications.
  15. ^ IMPRI (28 September 2021). "The Life & Contribution of Tau Shri Devi Lal". www.impriindia.com. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  16. ^ Malik, Ravindra; ARSu, Team. HARYANA GK: HARYANA AT THE START OF 2021: Haryana GK for Haryana Civil Services (HCS) & Other State Examinations. MyARSu.
  17. ^ Grover, Verinder; Arora, Ranjana (1995). Violence, Communalism and Terrorism in India: Towards Criminalisation of Politics. Deep & Deep Publications. ISBN 978-81-7100-546-8.
  18. ^ Chautala, Ajay Singh (2003). Chaudhary Devi Lal: Life, Work & Philosophy. Hope India Publications. ISBN 978-81-7871-012-9.
  19. ^ "Politics of caste". Frontline. 16 April 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  20. ^ "Emergency 1975 : जब पूर्व उपप्रधानमंत्री 19 महीने बाद जेल से घर लौटे तो उतारी थी आरती - former Deputy PM Devi Lal returned from jail at home after 19 months in emergency 1975 jagran special". Jagran (in Hindi). Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  21. ^ "July 5, 1978, Forty Years Ago: Quit, Devi Lal Told". The Indian Express. 5 July 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  22. ^ Singh, Ramindar (30 June 1987). "Devi Lal's Haryana Sangharsh Samiti looks set to oust Congress(I) from power in Haryana". India Today. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  23. ^ "Electoral Politics of Regional Political Parties in Haryana: An Analysis". Multidisciplinary, Scientific Work and Management Journal. ISSN 1053-7899. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  24. ^ Singh, Ramindar (15 July 1987). "Haryana elections: Congress(I) humiliated, Devi Lal's Lok Dal(B) wins". India Today. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  25. ^ Baweja, Harinder (15 April 1990). "I resigned from the Government, not from the party: Devi Lal". India Today. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  26. ^ Live, A. B. P. (25 September 2022). "चौधरी देवी लाल ने क्यों ठुकराया था प्रधानमंत्री का पद, अपने अनोखे मिजाज के लिए मशहूर थे 'ताऊ'". ABP News (in Hindi). Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  27. ^ a b "PM पद ठुकराकर उप प्रधानमंत्री बने देवीलाल: मोरारजी से बोले-तुमने मेरी झोपड़ी में आग लगाई, तुझे महल में रहने नहीं दूंगा". Dainik Bhaskar (in Hindi). 21 September 2024. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  28. ^ "Haryana: Party founded by Devi Lal splits". The Economic Times. 23 December 2018. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  29. ^ "Devi Lal dead, 7-day mourning in Haryana". www.tribuneindia.com. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  30. ^ "PM CONDOLES THE DEATH OF CHOUDHARY DEVI LAL". archive.pib.gov.in. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  31. ^ Yadav, Kripal Chandra (2002). Chaudhari Devi Lal, a Political Biography. Hope India. ISBN 978-81-7871-009-9.
  32. ^ Gupta, Jugal Kishore (1991). History of Sirsa Town. Atlantic Publishers & Distri.
  33. ^ Dahiya, Bhim S. (2008). Power Politics in Haryana: A View from the Bridge. Gyan Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-212-1007-2.
  34. ^ "Handful, still handy: Why Haryana parties love wooing the old". The Times of India. 22 August 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 12 September 2025. The old age pension scheme, however, was liberalised in 1987 by the then Devi Lal govt at Rs 100 per month for those aged 65 years or more.
  35. ^ Pachauri, Pankaj (15 October 1990). "All of Devi Lal's populist schemes come to nothing". India Today. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  36. ^ "हरियाणा विधानसभा चुनाव : ...जब चौधरी देवीलाल ने राज्यपाल को जड़ दिया था जोरदार थप्पड़!". NDTV India (in Hindi). Archived from the original on 1 May 2025. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
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Political offices
Preceded by Chief Minister of Haryana
1977–1979 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chief Minister of Haryana
1987–1989 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy Prime Minister of India
1989–1991 		Succeeded by