There are many opinions on this and many investigation commissions were formed but all of them were dismissed because a superpower Russia is also involved in this and even today it is difficult to tell the truth without involving it and no government will ever do this.But circumstantial evidence points to murder. You can watch the movie "The Tashkent Files" to find out.
Read this for now.
In "Lal Bahadur Shastri: A Life of Truth in Politics," C.P. Srivastava writes that the PM's name had already been finalized before the Congress Working Committee meeting on May 30, 1964. When Indira Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri met, Shastri, trying to gauge the situation, asked Indira why she didn't contest. Indira replied, " I'm still reeling from the death of my father. I can't even think about contesting the PM election right now. Now you take charge of the country."
Indira Gandhi's statement made it clear that she wanted to become Prime Minister, but the current climate was not favorable. Other senior figures were not in her support, and her father had passed away. She needed a few months to manage the situation. Therefore, the straightforward and courteous Shastri was chosen.
As the years passed, Indira Gandhi got her chance. She was also the Information and Broadcasting Minister in Shastri's cabinet, so she had access to all government information.
Shastri had become popular within a year by defeating Pakistan and coining the slogan "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan," which sounded a warning signal for Indira Gandhi. Meanwhile, Russia and America, stunned by Shastri's courage, instead of being defensive, took the offensive and launched a counter-attack on Pakistan.
Even world powers fear such a leader. It should also be noted that Shastri hadn't even been Prime Minister for a year, and the entire setup was created by Nehru. The ambassador to Russia was also a Kashmiri, T.N. Kaul.
The agreement was signed in Tashkent on the afternoon of January 10th. Afterward, the Soviet Union hosted a party at the Hotel Tashkent. Shastri stayed there for a while and then returned to his room with his three assistants around 10 p.m.
Shastri then asked Ramnath to serve the meal. The meal consisted of potatoes, spinach, and curry. This food had been brought prepared from the residence of the then Ambassador, TN Kaul.
Lal Bahadur Shastri is served food by his assistant Ramnath. (Sketch by Mansoor Naqvi)
Shastri was having his meal when the phone rang. It was Venkataraman, another of his aides, from Delhi. It was revealed that several parties had criticized his agreement with Pakistan. Shastri became worried.
His son, Anil Shastri, explains, "That night he ordered Indian newspapers to be delivered to Kabul. By then, there was no sign of his speech or health. This meant he was keen to know the impact of his decision on the country."
Kuldip Nayar writes in his book that the next day's departure for Afghanistan was underway, and packing was underway. At 1:30 a.m. Tashkent time, Shastri was seen staggering in the lobby by Jagannath Sahai. He was trying to speak. With great difficulty, he said, "Where is Doctor Sahib?"
Shastri's doctor, R.N. Chugh, was sleeping in the room where the packing was taking place. Shastri placed his hand near his heart and then fell unconscious. His personal doctor, R.N. Chugh, checked his pulse and confirmed his death. Doctors from Russia were also called in to provide relief. They administered injections, but there was no response.
In his book about Shastriji's room, Kuldip Nayar writes that his slippers were neatly laid out on the carpeted floor, unworn. A thermos was lying upside down on the dressing table, appearing to have been opened. The room lacked the usual alarm or buzzer. There were three phones in the room, but all three were far from the bed.
Shastri's body wrapped in the tricolor in Tashkent (Photo: LBS Memorial)
Shortly after, a tricolor flag arrived and was draped over Shastriji. The photograph was then taken down. The body was brought back to India the next day.
Wife Lalita Shastri with the mortal remains of Shastri ji. Image Courtesy – LBS Memorial
The issue of investigating Shastriji's death continued to be raised. The then government did not even conduct a postmortem. In 1977, the Janata Party came to power. A committee was formed to investigate. The Raj Narain Committee. His personal doctor, R.N. Chugh, was initially scheduled to be called for questioning, but his car collided with a truck.
In this accident, Dr. Chug died and his daughter became disabled for life.
The same thing happened to his assistant, Ramnath. He was badly injured in a road accident and lost his memory.
The report of this committee also remained a mere eyewash and the report could not be presented till date.
And with Shastri's death, Indira Gandhi wasted no time in staking her claim. When leaders like Morarji Desai opposed her, she split the Congress party. She then made continuous efforts to harm the personal interests of these senior leaders. The era of opposition harassment, imprisonment, and corruption began rampantly during Indira Gandhi's rule. When matters escalated, she even imposed a state of emergency and amended the Constitution. This demonstrates Indira Gandhi's eagerness for power.