DR. BR AMBEDKAR: FACTS WE SHOULD KNOW

If Someone is, ever, to be considered as the biggest epitome of struggle, the name of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar will be uttered first. The reason we remember him even today is because of his immense contribution in the upliftment of lower castes (especially untouchables), and development of the Great Indian Constitution. He was the first Law and Justice Minister of Independent India.

April 14, 1891 - December 6, 1956

The Early Struggles

Babasaheb was born on April 14, 1891 in Mahar caste, one of the untouchables/Dalit castes of Hindus. Due to enormous caste differences, during his days, he was not allowed to sit inside the class and also not allowed to drink water from the common vessel. He was not allowed to study Sanskrit as the person from Mahar caste was not allowed to study Sanskrit or Vedas. Not only school, but anywhere he went, he had to face brutal discrimination from the upper caste people.

But these obstacles couldn't stop him. He obtained degree in economics and political science, the first from his community to get the degree. He got the scholarship from Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III and went to foreign in 1913 to pursue higher studies. He studied MA and Phd from Columbia University and Masters in Economics from university of London. He was the most literate Indian of that time.

But even after achieving that much, his struggles didn't reduce. No one was ready to give him job or rent him room because of his caste. He was forced to sleep on the benches in garden. He somehow got the job as a economics professor in University of Bombay, but there too he had to face the discrimination from the upper castes lecturers. After facing all these hurdles he pledged to change the whole system that permits extreme oppression towards untouchables.

The Fight for Equality

Ambedkar started working in legal profession in 1926. In 1927, he decided to launch active movements against untouchability. He began with public movements to open up water resources and temples for the depressed classes. His famous 'Satyagraha' (non-violent resistance) attempts are:

Mahad Satyagraha at Chowder Tank

1. Mahad Satyagraha (1927): Ambedkar drank water, along with his thousands of followers, from 'chowder tank' located in Mahad town.
2. Kalaram Temple Movement: Around 15,000 volunteers assembled at Kalaram Temple to enter, making it one of the greatest procession of Nashik. 
3. Establishment of Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha for Dalits in order to promote education and socio-economic improvements.
4. Started periodicals like Mook Nayak, Bahishkrit Bharat, Equality Janta for defence of Dalit rights.

Poona Pact (Ambedkar and Gandhi)

In the second round table conference, Dr. BR Ambedkar demanded for the separate electorates (where a particular community will choose their separate leader by separate elections for them) for Depressed classes which would ensure that they could have their face in the politics. On that, the British colonial government under Ramasay MacDonald agreed, but Mahatma Gandhi was strictly opposing the same. According to him, such kind of arrangement would lead to the division of Hindu community. 

Gandhi protested by fasting from Yerwada jail of Poona (now Pune). Pressure started to build on Ambedkar as if anything would happen to Gandhi, it would lead to huge setback to freedom struggle and depressed castes' name would spoil. A meeting was arranged between Gandhi and Ambedkar on September 25, 1932 where an agreement was signed between depressed classes and upper hindus, known as Poona Pact. The agreement stated that:

• To give reserved seats for depressed classes within general electorate (a common election system for entire population where everyone can vote for candidates).
• Depressed class received 148 seats, which were demanded by Ambedkar to increase from 71, so that the pact satisfies arguments of both Ambedkar and Gandhi.
• It allowed untouchables to choose their representative, but for the unified electorate and no separate electorate like Muslim League.

That was remarkable effort from Ambedkar for the depressed classes and he became the undisputed leader of Dalits. He was successful in giving exposure to Depressed classes from politics to education for which they were deprived for centuries.

The Making of Indian Constitution

Post independence, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, the Prime Minister of India at that time, appointed Ambedkar to serve as Law and Justice Minister. Few weeks later to that, he was appointed as the Chairman of Drafting Committee of the Constitution for Republic of India. It took 2 years, 11 months, and 18 days of immense hard work, 448 Articles, 12 Schedules, 616 Signatures, and combinations of other nations' Constitutions jointly contributed to the making of Indian Constitution.

On January 26, 1950, Indian Constitution finally came into force. It is the world's largest Constitution praised by many leaders across the world. Nelson Mandela, the first President of South Africa, was influenced by Ambedkar and the Constitution of India and said that it was highly inspirational for South Africa and would help a lot in establishing the Constitution of South Africa in future. Dr. BR Ambedkar is popularly known as the Father of Indian Constitution.

Contributions for Labour Welfare

• In 1942, when he was the Labour Member of the Viceroy's Executive Council, he brought in the 8-hour working per day in India reducing it from 14 hours.
• He drafted 'Minimum Wages Act' which became law in 1948. It includes Dearness Allowance (DA), Leave Benefit, extra payment for Overtime, etc.
• He initiated the policy of insurance for the well being of employees through Employees State Insurance (ESI) Act.
• He also contributed in enacting the Employees Provident Fund Law. In addition, he was the one to bring in canteen and medical facilities inside the factory or work place.
• Because of him, workers can go on strikes for their rights, with the help of Trade Union Amendment Act.
• He brought many laws for women workers and one of them was Maternity Benefit Act.

Opinion on Caste Reservation System

From the Poona Pact to drafting on Indian Constitution, the depressed classes, which were later on called as Schedules Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST), were given reserved seats in politics, jobs, and education. Was it necessary at that time to give this much to them? The answer is YES; because of the way they were treated. It was necessary for them to be uplifted from the extreme and brutal oppression from the upper castes. Equality is not a choice, it is a right for which not only Ambedkar but his followers too fought hard and found triumph.

Today, this very very fact of Caste Reservation System has become highly political and controversial. Should this system be continued in present and for future? The answer should be NO; because after more than 70 years of independence things have changed. It will be unacceptable to do injustice with today's great deserving candidates just because of injustice happened a century ago. This system, if continued more, will slow down the growth and development of the nation.

Conclusion

Undoubtedly Dr. BR Ambedkar was the man of revolution and great ideas. He strongly opposed religious ideas, but that could be well understood because of the struggles he had to face regarding his birth. The sad truth is that he is remembered more for reservation and less for his immense contributions in major areas. He had written famous books like The Annihilation of Caste, Who were the Shudras, The Untouchables, etc. and he received Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award, posthumously (post death) in 1990.

For the present government and citizens, the need is to understand the difference between the requirements of today's nation and nation that existed a century ago. There is a need of more education and less propaganda for today's progressive society to achieve the prosperity in the real sense.