The Cost of a Saree

Once, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri, the Prime Minister of India, visited a textile mill. The owner of the mill welcomed him warmly and showed him around the factory.

After the tour, Shastri ji saw some beautiful sarees in the warehouse. He asked the owner if he could take a look at them. The owner was happy to hear this and asked his staff to bring the best sarees for him.

Many high-quality and beautiful sarees were shown. Shastri ji liked one of them and asked for its price. The owner said it cost ₹800.

Shastri ji looked surprised and said, “That’s too expensive. Can you show me something more affordable?”

So, the owner showed sarees costing ₹500, ₹400, and so on. But Shastri ji still said, “These are still too costly. Don’t you have anything that someone like me, a poor man, can buy?”

The owner was shocked and said, “But you are the Prime Minister! How can you say you are poor? And you don’t have to pay. This saree can be a gift from us.”

Shastri ji gently replied, “No, I cannot accept such an expensive gift. Just because I’m the Prime Minister doesn’t mean I should take things I can’t afford. I live a simple life and I must spend only what I have.”

In the end, Shastri ji chose a simple, affordable saree and paid for it himself — a gift for his wife, from his own pocket.

This story shows the honesty and simplicity of Lal Bahadur Shastri ji. Even in a position of great power, he remained humble and true to his values.

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