Dr. B. R. Ambedkar- The Man and His Message

121 Pages·2015·17 MB·English

Ambedkar-
Dr. B.R.
TheMan
and
HisMessage
A Commemorative Volume
. J
Dr. B.R. AMBEDKAR
The Man and His' Message
A Commemorative Volume
Edited by
SUDARSHAN AGARWAL
Secretary-General, Rajya Sabha
, ,
Prentice ..Hall of India IP>Il'O\Yl~'U@OJIMlOU@@l
New Delhi-110001
1991
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Rs.125.oo
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Dr. B.R.AMBEDKAR- The Man and His Message:
ACommemorative Volume
Edited by Sudarshan Agarwal -."
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PRENTICE-HALLINTERNATIONALI,NC.,Englewood Cliffs. PRESIDENT
PRENTICE-HALLINTERNATIONALI,NC.,London REPUBLIC OF INDIA
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EDITORAPRENTICE-HALLDO BRASILLTDA.,RiodeJaneiro
PRENTICE-HALLHISPANOAMERICANAS,A, Mexico City
Message
@ 1991by RajyaSabha Secretariat, New Delhi. Allrights reserved. No
part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by mimeograph or
any other means, without permission in writing from the editor and Dr. B.R.Ambedkar's is a household name in India-whether in his
the publishers. home state or in the far-flung areas of India, the intelligentsia as well
as the humble folk look up to his memory with admira'tion and
respect. His portrait adorns not just the walls of our legislatures and
ISBN-Q-S7692-634-0 public buildings, but also those of countless humble dwellings in
factorypremises, workers' linerooms and busties all over the country.
The people of India have perceived in Babasaheb Ambedkar a man
who feltin hisown arteries the pulsations of his poor brethren.
The export rights of this book are vested solely with the publishers.
Bhimrao Ambedkar was born in the oppressed community of
Mahars and was personally witness to the many humiliating privations
Published for the RajyaSabha Secretariat, New Delhi. which were being heaped upon the so-called untouchables of India.
During his school days, young Bhimrao realised what the ~tigma of
untouchability meant. The story istold of how, when Bhimrao and his
brother were once going to Goregaon from Masurrailway station, they
secured abullock cart. Hardly had the cart gone a few yards when the
cartman learnt that the two boys in the cart were 'untouchables'. The
Phototypeset and Printed by Mohan Makhijani at Rekha Printers cartman promptly got offthe cart. Bhimrao's elder brother had to drive
Private Limited, New Delhi-IIO 020 and Published by Prentice-Hall of the cart while the cartman followed the cart on foot, for fear of
India Private Limited,M-97,Connaught Circus, Ne~ Delhi 1I0 001. pollution! Also, they could not get drinking water for the whole
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journey forthe same reason.
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Being an 'untouchable', Bhimrao was also forced, while atschool,
to sit apart from the rest. He could not fraternise with other boys or It is important to record here one major influence on Dr.
play games with them. The teachers, it is said, would not touch his Ambedkar. While in the USA, he was drawn to the fourteenth
notebook, while some of them would not even put questions to amendment of the Constitution of the USAwhich gave freedom to the
Bhimrao and others of that caste for fear of being polluted. When they Black Americans. He saw at once the parallel of the situation for the
felt thirsty in the school, they were not given glasses of water; instead Depressed Classes in India. On returning home, Babasaheb came to
.they were required to raise their heads and cup their mouths so that . be greatly influenced by the life-work of Mahatma Phule, the votary of
somebody could funnel drinking water towards their lips. But, most a classless society and women's uplift. The need as well as the
galling of all, they were prohibited from learning Sanskrit. To feasibility o( reform impressed itself on' Babasaheb's mind and he
Bhimrao, this was the indignity that perhaps rankled the most. For decided to devote all his time and talents for the amelioration of his
who has the right to put alock on people's minds? underprivileged brethren: Newspapers started by him such as the
But, as the saying goes, "Where there is a will there is a way". Mooknayak, Bahishkrit Bharat and Samata were at once recognised
Bhimrao Ambedkar overcame all the disabilities, humiliations and as authentic voices of the Depressed Classes. Likewise, institutions set
poverty by the sheer quality of his. intellectual c'alibre and up by him such as the Hitakarini Sabha and the Independent Labour
determination. Before long, his outstanding abilities came to be Party of India became vehicles of change. During the same period,
recognised. Thanks to the foresight of the progressive Maharaja Sayaji Gandhiji was pioneering his epic reform of Indian society which
Rao of Baroda, Bhimrao was able to enter Elphinstone College in included the uplift of the Depressed Classes whom Gandhiji had
Bombay arid after graduation join the Baroda State Service. Shortly termed Harijans. Babasaheb's work did not form part of the
thereafter, the Maharaja, who was sending some students to the USA programmes ofthe Indian National Congress led by Gandhiji.
for higher studies at the Columbia University, included Bhimrao But we can now see from the vantage point of history that both
among them. Professor Seligman, the well-known economist, was his Gandhiji and Babasaheb represented different facets of the same
teacher there. In 1915, Bhimrao obtained Master's degree for his awakening. Not many are aware that when Gandhiji started his new
thesis, "Ancient Indian Commerce':. In May 1916, he presented a weekly, Harijan, he requested Babasaheb Ambedkar to send a
paper on "The Castes in India: Their Mechanism, Genesis, and message for the firstissue. Babasaheb sent a statement for publication
Development", at the Anthropology Seminar sponsored by Dr. inthe magazine which said:
Goldenweiser. In June 1916, he submitted his Ph.D. thesis entitled
The outcaste is a bye-product of the caste system.There willbe
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"National Dividend for India: AHistoric and Analytical Study", which outcastes as long as there are castes. Nothing can help to save
was published eight years later under the title: The Evolution of Hindusandensuretheirsurvivalinthe comingstruggleexceptthe
Provincial Finance in British India. Bhimrao dedicated the book to purgingoftheHindufaithoftheodiousandviciousdogma.
Maharaja Sayaji Rao. In his introduction to the book, Prof. S.A. Publishing these words in his weekly, Gandhiji paid a remarkable
Seligman stated: "Nowhere to my knowledge, has such a detailed tribute to Dr. Ambedkar, and I quote from Gandhiji's words as I
study of the underlying principles been made." Bhimrao was, thereby, published in the Harijan:
launched in academics. He studied Economics, Law and Political
Science in America and, later, atthe London School of Economics' and Dr.Ambedkar is bitter. He has every reason to feel so. He has
receiveda liberaleducation. He has more than the talentsof the
Bonn University, where he wrote TheHistory of Indian Currency and
averageeducatedIndian.OutsideIndiahe isreceivedwithhonour
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Banking. and affection, but in India, among Hindus, at every step he is
One trait marked Babasaheb during his student days and, in fact, remindedthatheisoneoftheoutcastesofHindusociety.... Thisis
throughout his life: He was a voracious reader. He had an insatiable thecasteHindus'shame, not his,but Iwould likehimto feelthat
therearetodaythousands ofcaste Hinduswho would listento his
thirst for books. He bought books by curtailing his daily needs. In
messagewiththe same respect and considerationthattheywould
New York he issaid to have purchased about 2,000old books. And it
givetothatofanyother leaderandthat"intheirestimationthere is
isrecorded that at the time of the Second Round Table Conference in nopersonhighandnopersonlow.
London, he bought so many books that they had to be sent to India in
The differences between Gandhiji and Babasaheb on the question
32boxes.
of separate electorates were marked. Babasaheb signed the famous
Poona Pact with misgivings. He was to declare later that the Pact had
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"resulted in disenfranchising 60 million untouchables." And yet, for all The following observation he made issignificant:
his discontent, Babasaheb Ambedkar never allowed his emotions to
tum into cynicism. He believed in constructive action and used every The Constitution isafundamental document. Itisadocument which
defines the po~ition and power of the three organs of the State-lhe
opportunity that was available to him to embody his ideals in
executIve, the.JudiCIaryand the legislature. Italso defines the powers
constitutional programmes.
ofthe executive and the powers of the legislature as against the
Babasaheb was elected to the Bombay Legislative Assembly in cIHzens,as we have done in our chapter dealing with Fundamental
the elections under the Constitution of India Act, 1935. The Congress Rights.In fact, the purpose of a Constitution isnot merely to create
had declared that it was entering the legislatures to wreck that the or~ans of the State but to limit their authority, because, if no
hmltallon was Imposed upon the authority of the organs, there will
Constitution. Babasaheb was determined to make it work. The
becomplete tyranny and complete oppression.
objective was the same, although the techniques differed. Babasaheb
made effective contributions to the debates in the Assembly on a Jawaharlal Nehru chose Dr. Ambedkar to be the first Law Minister
variety of subjects. His flair for legislative work became evident to the of independent India. This was a recognition of Dr. Ambedkar's skills
whole nation. in the field of law and legislation as also a tribute to his vision of social
Soon the Constituent Assembly of India afforded Dr. Ambedkar justice-a vision which was sought to be infused into the new Indian
the opportunity to give the most notable and permanent shape to his polity. But above all, this was a tribute to the success of Babasaheb
social philosophy and to his undying faith in the dignity of human Ambedkar's own campaigns against social injustice. Who could have
beings. Babasaheb was not in the Congress, but it must be said to the dreamt that one born to a Mahar family would one day become not
credit of the farsighted and objective leadership of the Indian only a Law Minister but a Law-maker and be hailed as the modern
Manu?
National Congress that it requested Dr. Ambedkar to serve on the
Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly and made him its In the four decades and more since Independence, much progress
Chairman. has been achieved in providing equality of opportunities to the
As Chairman of the Drafting Committee, Dr. Ambedkar anticipated people. Members of the Scheduled Castes find doors which had been
every conceivable requirement of the new polity. Drawing from the closed to them for centuries being opened. No legal bars exist today
examples and experiences of other nations and the distinctive needs for self-expression or self-advancement. They are enrolling themselves
of our own society, he raised, brick by brick, the magnificent edifice in institutes of higher learning and entering public services. They have
which now stands as the Fundamental Rights in the Constitution of come to occupy high offices of State, both at the Centre and in the
India. There were, of course, other luminaries on the Committee like States. Judges, ambassadors and governors have been drawn from
Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar, K.M. Munshi and N. Gopalaswami their ranks. And they have acquitted themselves creditably in all these
Ayyangar who also made vital contributions to the process of positions of responsibility.
Constitution-making. But if there is one person who will be And yet, much remains to be done on the social plane. The
remembered as the pilot of the various provisions of the Indian Annual Reports of the Commissioner for Scheduled Castes and
Constitution, it will surely be Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. It devolved on Dr. Scheduled Tribes list several violations of the law and several
Ambedkar to explain (to the Assembly), with a combination of tact instances where, notwithstanding the statute book, members of the
and frankness, and utmost patience, the meaning and scope of the Scheduled Castes have been discriminated against. Babasaheb
different provisions of the Draft Constitution. He had the rare gift of Ambedkar's work will be truly complete only when social discrimina-
unravelling the most complicated legal concepts in a language which tion iscompletely eliminated from our society.
the laymen understood. Dr. Ambedkar, aided by the indefatigable Babasaheb Ambedkar always stressed the importance of
Constitutional Adviser, B.N. Rau, performed this task matchlessly. constitutional methods to a~hieve social objectives. In an interesting
Dr. Ambedkar had a clear perception of the mutuality of the three observation, he once descnbed the methods of civil disobedience
pillars of State-the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary. He non-cooperation and satyagraha as the "grammar of anarchy". Th~
realised that the jurisdiction of each should be clear and observation assumes importance in the context of public agitations in
untrammelled. At the s~me time, he had a sense of the limitations of free India. It is one thing to utilise these methods in a struggle against
these three pillars of democracy and of the importance of the role of an ahen power. The nght to rebellion is recognised against a
citizens. government without people's consent, be it alien or national dictator-
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ship, but not in a democracy based on free and fair elections.
Ihave no doubt that, whether we agreed with him or not in many
Misdirected and volatile, such agitations invariably result in the loss of matters, that perseverance, that persistence and that, ifImay use the
lives and public property. word, sometimes virulence of his opposition to allthis did keep the
In commemorating Babasaheb Ambedkar, we shall do well to people's mind awake and did not allow them tobecome complacent
about matters which could not be forgotten, and helped in rousing
.•.j remember that the methods for the redressal of grievances available in up those groups inour country which had suffered forso long inthe
a parliamentary democracy are efficacious and must be used, past. It is, therefore, sad that such a prominent champion of the
eschewing other methods. The march towards a casteless and classless oppressed and depressed in India and one who took such an
society should be through dialogue and discussion, education and important part inour activities, has passed away.
.legislation. This requires not just statesmanship but sagacity. There can be no doubt that the day is not far off when Babasaheb
About 2500 years ago the Buddha had questioned .the caste Ambedkar's dream of samatawill become a reality.
divisions in India. He said "The only valid divisions are the divisions
between those who are noble and wholesome and those who are
ignoble and unwholesome." The Tamil poetess Avvai had said,
similarly, that there are only two castes in the world, namely, the
charitable who give and are superior, and the misers who do not and lJec-v, ~"""
are, therefore, inferior. Throughout the course of Indian history, great Il/)./. (/eI1v~I' .
sages and saints exposed the hollowness of these divisions and sought New Delhi. I '
to bring all the communities of India together in a creative partnership. October 1, 1990
[R.VENKATARAMANI
But caste, by virtue of its power structure, showed itself to be firmly
entrenched.
Under the policy of "Divide and Rule", the British rulers
exaggerated caste distinctions and divided the people of India
further to strengthen their hegemony over us. Itwas given to two great
Indians of our time, Mahatma Gandhi and Babasaheb Ambedkar,
to repudiate caste and to. proclaim the oneness of the Hindu.
community. Gandhiji did so by reminding the higher castes of their
duty towards the Depressed Classes. Babasaheb Ambedkar did the
same by reminding them of their inherent rights to equality with the
higher and more powerful castes. One stressed the duties, the-.9lher
stressed the rights; together, they brought about a veritable revolution
in social thought. '
In course of time, Babasaheb embraced Buddhism. It is important
to remember that this act of Babasaheb Ambedkar was the result of
deep thinking. He was drawn to the concept of dukkha in Buddhism,
for he was aware of the sorrows of human society. He was drawn to
the classless concept of the Buddhist sangha, for collectivism as
opposed to social fragmentation had been his aim. Babasaheb's
lecture in Kathmandu on "The Buddha and Marx" is a classic of its
kind. It shows how Babasaheb was working towards a revolution
through peaceful, inner change.
When Babasaheb passeq away, in December 1956,]awaharlal
Nehru made a moving reference in the Lok Sabha. Describing
Babasaheb as "a symbol of revolt", he said:
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PRIME MINISTER
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Message
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The contribution of Dr. Ambedkar in the building of modem India will .
r long be remembered. His work as one of the prime architects of our I~
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Constitution, the bedrock upon which the Indian nation rests, is of (
lasting importance. The work of Dr. Ambedkar was a source of
inspiration not only to his own generation but the generations which
have followed.
Dr. Ambedkar's life was a relentless struggle in the cause of the
dOwntrodden. His sustained efforts and indomitable spirit have left
their imprint on history and continue to inspire us in our present day
endeavours to secure for the weaker sections their rightful place in
society.
Iam happy to learn that the Rajya Sabha Secretariat are publishing
a commemorative volume on Dr. Ambedkar. This is a tribute worthy
of a great son of India whose struggle to secure justice for the I
downtrodden has continued to give courage and strength to all those
who stand for a more just society.
w~
New Delhi I
I January 2, 1991
[CHANDRA SHEKHARl
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SPEAKER, WK SABRA
Message
Iam glad to learn that the Rajya Sabha Secretariat is bringing out a
commemorative volume to mark the BirthCentenary of Dr. Babasaheb
BhimraoAmbedkar, the architect of our Constitution.
An erudite scholar, a legal luminary, a great statesman and a
champion of Depressed Classes, Babasaheb has carved out a
permanent niche for himself in the hearts of our countrymen. To
quote the Father of Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, he was a "patriot of
sterlingqualities."
The Constitution of India, to the framing of which he contributed
so much and every page of which has his imprint, truly reflects the
hopes and aspirations of our people. It is indeed a tribute to his
sagacity, wisdom and legal acumen that the basic philosophy and
idealsenshrined in the Constitution of India have withstood the test of
time and helped in p~eserving the unity, integrity and democratic
fabricof the country. Therefore, he has been aptly described as the
Modern Manu.
Today, when the grateful nation celebrates the BirthCentenary of
thisdistinguished son ofour motherland, the only befitting tribute that
we, the people of India, can pay to him is to rededicate ourselves to
theloftyideals which Babasaheb always held so dear.
NewDelhi
Foreword
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar was one of the most remarkable leaders
who shaped the polity of India in the nascent years of our
freedom. He was a thinker, revolutionary, and a champion for
human rights and human dignity.
In the centenary year of the birth of this great son of India,
whom history will progressively recognize as a universal man, I felt
it would be appropriate that a commemorative volume should be
brought out by the Rajya Sabha.Secretariat as a mark of gratitude
and respect towards Dr. Ambedkar; the need to do 'so was
reinforced by the fact that Dr. Ambedkar had graced the Rajya
Sabha as a Member.
I am particularly happy that exceedingly fine contributions,
illuminating various significant aspects of the personality, the life
and work of Dr. Ambedkar, have been integrated in this volume,
and made available to the reading public on the WIst anniversary
of his birth.
PI.Jawaharlal Nehru, in a tribute to Dr. Ambedkar, had said of
him:"Theway he will be remembered most will be as a symbol of
the revolt against all the oppressive features of ... society. He
rebelled against something against which all ought to rebel."
In the perspective of a profoundly significant tradition of seers
and reformers in India, Dr. Ambedkar helped the people of India
to open their eyes and become aware of many cruel distortions
and injustices that had become institutionalized over the centuries
-encruSting and debilitating Indian society. Dr. Ambedkar's
struggle may be seen as a missionary effort by an enlightened
guide persevering in the noble task of leading a vast and ancient
nation to the right path of humanism, peace, brotherhood and
progress. The Constitution of India bears the impress of Dr:
Ambedkar's thought as a key instrument for national recons-
truction. In an important way, Dr. Ambedkar thus gave expression
to an inner need in India for a just social condition; on such basis
alone can national we'n-being be secured in tune with our ancient
ideals. .
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I sincerely hope that this commemorative volume-
representing a centennial tribute-would also encourage further
studies concerning Dr.. Babasaheb Ambedkar, his ideals, his
struggle and achievements, and induce ever-widening individual Preface
and institutional effort for the attainment of the goals he so clearly
defined.
Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar, whose BirthCentenary isbeing celebrated
.r..~.~_~
thisyear,was atowering personality ofour time.Hewas aMemberof
theRajyaSabhafromMay1952tillhisdeath on 6December 1956.
NewDelhi [SHANKERDAYALSHARMA) Fromthe depths ofdespair Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar emerged as
14April 195>l Vice-Presidentof India, and a colossus in the Indian political arena to champion the cause of the
Chainnan, Rajya Sabha Depressed Classesand uphold human dignity. Aversatile genius, he
played a crucial role in the political, social, economic, religious and
other spheres to attain his objectives. As the architect of our
Constitution,he has contributed immensely to build up Parliamentary
institutionsand worked for their consolidation. For, he believed that
these institutions were the central lever of social engineering which
canheraldabetter tomorrow forthe sufferingmillions.
Asa Member of the RajyaSabha, Dr.Ambedkar displayed great
debating skilland spoke authoritatively on various issues. He spared
noeffortinCriticisingthe Government on policymatterswhenever he
feltthatthe latterwas followinga wrong path. Histhought-provoking
suggestionsand succinct summaries'used to evoke admiration ofthe
entire House. While speaking on the floor of the House, he used to
touchon issues likea true statesman and firmlyplaced the interest of
the nation above everything else-.Asan eminent parliamentarian, he
wasgenuinely concerned about the roleofParliament inameliorating
thelotofthe people, particularlythe underprivileged. oilthe floorof
theRajyaSabha, he had declared that unless Parliament took care of
thewelfareofthe people withi'l a reasonable time,itwould be treated
withuttercontempt bythe public.
Hisrespect for the Chair was unquestionable. Notbeing swayed
bythe heat and passion ofthe moment, he used to follow strictlythe
time-testedrulesand conventions. .
Ademocrat par excellence, he firmly believed that "democracy
means a form and method of government whereby revolutionary
changes in the economic and social life of the people are brought
about without bloodshed." Therefore, he urged the people to adopt
constitutional methods and abandon the path of violence to bring
aboutradicalchanges irisociety.
Freedomand development ofsocietyforDr.Ambedkar meant the
guaranteeingofbetter conditions forallstrataofsocietyingeneral and
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