The 68th death anniversary of Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, also known as “Mahaparinirvan Diwas,” is being commemorated on December 6, 2024. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar or Baba Saheb as he was popularly known was one of the greatest Indians of the last century who dedicated all his life to the cause dear to him.
Congress led INDI Block, however, continues to betray him in words and by their deeds. They derided him during his lifetime , underestimated his talent, ability and capability and used every trick to deny him opportunity to contribute and deliver on issues of national importance. That Baba Saheb succeeded in spite of them is noteworthy.
The life of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar was marked by struggles but he proved that every hurdle in life can be surmounted with talent and firm determination.
He was an economist, jurist, social reformer and political leader of enormous stature. He was elected to the Constituent Assembly from West Begal and not from his home state Maharashtra. The members of the Constituent Assembly were elected by the provincial assemblies through a single transferable-vote of proportional representation.
Congress and Leftists (today’s INDI Block) ensured that Baba Shaeb and his Scheduled caste Federation was defeated from Bombay now Mumbai. It was Jogendra Nath Mandal, another tall leader of SC community from Bengal who sacrificed his seat so that Dr. Ambedkar becomes part of the 296-member Constituent Assembly and gets elected as the Chairman of the Constitution drafting committee.
Similarly, he was included into the first cabinet as the first Law and Justice Minister in the first cabinet of Jawaharlal Nehru in independent India. The fact often ignored is that conditions were created so as to force Baba Saheb to resign from Cabinet on September 27, 1951 due to differences with the then Prime Minister. His contribution and influence, however, is not limited to drafting of constitution only. He impacted various aspects of national life including Jammu and Kashmir in more than one way.
Ambedkar’s economic perspective
People mostly know Baba Saheb only as the architect of the Constitution of India. Not many recognise that he did his graduation and PhD in economics from the best universities of the world. Economics has been his favourite subject since childhood. His remarkable research work on various subjects of economics is also relevant even today. Due to the above reasons, the influence of economics was also visible on his social work
Baba Saheb graduated from Elphinstone College, University of Bombay, studied economics at Columbia University and the London School of Economics, receiving doctorates in 1927 and 1923, respectively. He was among a handful of Indian students to have done so at either institution in the 1920s. He also trained in the law at Gray’s Inn, London. In his early career, he was an economist, professor, and lawyer. His political activities involving him in campaigning and negotiations was part of his later life. He contributed by publishing journals, advocating political rights and social freedom for depressed castes and contributing to the establishment of the state of India.
Dr. Ambedkar also dreamed of India’s economic development after India attained political independence and he had his own different thinking on the subject of economics. It was the bad luck of the country that after India attained political independence; he did not get a chance to work in the economic sector.
He used to encourage entrepreneurship and usually talked about making women and scheduled castes appealing to the then government to help these classes in this regard. He was of the clear opinion that without economic upliftment, no social and political participation would be possible.
Baba Saheb considered the agriculture sector to be the backbone of the Indian economy and was an advocate of the development of the agriculture sector. But he was not against industries either. He was clear in his opinion that while emphasising on industrial revolution, the agriculture sector cannot be ignored.
His research paper titled “Small Holdings in India and their Remedies” written in the year 1918 shows his skill in explaining the ground reality regarding farmers in India and his proficiency in suggesting practical policies for economic problems. His explanation in this research paper is still relevant for the agriculture sector in India. His view was that labour, capital and plant – all three play an important role in agricultural production in India.
Baba Saheb & Jammu Kashmir
It is a well-known fact that Dr B R Ambeadkar was against inclusion of art 370 in the constitution. When sheikh Mohd Abdullah on advice of Jawahar Lal Nehru came to meet Dr. Ambedkar on this issue he remarked ” you want India to develop Kashmir, to defend Kashmir and Kashmiris should have equal rights as other citizens of India, but you dont want India or any citizen of India have any rights in Kashmir. I am the law minister of India. I cannot betray the interest of my country”.
But it is also a fact that Baba Saheb’s forceful and bold advocacy for the rights of the ‘depressed Classes’ had a huge impact on several patriotic native rulers including Maharaja Hari Singh , the ruler of erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Dr. Ambedkar attended all the three Round Table Conferences in London and each time, powerfully projected his views in the interest of the ‘untouchable’. This motivated several princes to initiate meaningful social reforms in their respective states.
Maharaja Hari Singh initiated legislative measures against untouchability, opened all public schools, colleges and wells to ‘untouchables’ in 1931, championed women’ s emancipation, stopped the rampant practice of child marriage and actively promoted widow remarriage. He made trafficking and organised prostitution illegal and was also successful in rooting out the practice of Sati.
Lingering perfidy
Even now the INDI block headed by the Congress party and includes the National Conference are trying to undermine the greatest contribution of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar who created a mechanism for affirmative action like reservation to bring underprivileged sections of the society at par with the rest. The NC-Congress-Left alliance government elected recently has launched a scathing onslaught on reservation as a policy.
On this Mahaparinirvan Diwas let us join hands to reject and resist all attempts to undermine the constitution given to us by Bharat Ratna Baba Saheb Ambedkar.
It will be the best tribute to the Great Son of Bharat.
It is our duty as spelled out by Baba Saheb in his statement after resignation from the cabinet, “to make a statement ( speak) informing the House (people) why we cannot be party to such operations.
(GL Raina is a former MLC and spokesperson of BJP JK_UT)
