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AMBEDKAR
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By HIMADRI
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http://litteratrices.wordpress.com/2013/07/14/thelitterateur-ambedkar/

AMBEDKAR
This paper is for internal assessment. The sources, to prepare the paper, I
consulted are given in a bibliography. Some of the important views of Dr.
Ambedkar on the religion, democracy, untouchables, caste & class,
Gandhi, the Gita, Nationalism, and the Indian Constitution is viewed in
quintessence. My own views are neither to condemn nor to eulogize him.
I recall my reminiscence of school days; when I saw his statue in the
Parliament of India and pictures in text books conveying a message that
Ambedkar struggled to lift the depressed classes and drafted the
constitution of India.
I also saw his idols standing in the clusters of slums in towns, cities and on
the skirt of villages. The creatures dwelling in these slums call him an
Apostle and epitomized deity, with expectations to get emancipated from
centuries old shackles. I put several questions to my teacher. Answers
quieted me but provoked eagerness remained unquenched. My endeavor
is to look into those unquenched queries.
I have not seen any statue of Dr. Ambedkar in the habitats of caste
Hindus. Dejure, he has been conferred upon the BHARAT RATNA
posthumously, defacto, it is difficult to accept that he is revered like
Gandhi or Nehru.

HIS LIFE
This remarkable personality was born on 14th April 1891, in MHOW, near
Indore, (MP), in MAHAR family of untouchables. His father, Ramji Sakpal
was a Subedar in the British Army. In 1896, when he was five years child,
his mother Bhimabai died in Satara. He was brought up by his aunt. His
wife died on 27th May 1935 as she could not bear the death of her three
children. His second wife Dr. Sharada Kabir, a medical doctor belonged to
Sarswatt Brahmin community. On 14th Oct 1954 he got himself converted
into Buddhism with one million followers. He attended Buddhist
conferences abroad. He died on 6th Dec 1956. His entire life was spent for
the cause of democracy, the attainments of educational and economic,
social, political independence for the depressed people of India for
modernity and pacing with the world. He was admirer of Kabir, Buddha
and Phule.
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HIS EDUCATION
He did his matriculation from the Elphinstone High School and B.A from
Elphinstone College, Bombay in 1912 with English and Persian as the main
subjects. After graduation, he had decided to join the Armed Forces of
Maharaja of Baroda but death of his father brought him back to Bombay.
Maharaja bestowed upon him a scholarship for his study in Columbia
University in 1913.In the university, he came in contact with scholars and
genius like John Dewey, Edwin Seligman and A.A. Goldenweiser. Here he
did his M.A. with special assignment Administration and Finance of East
India Company and also completed his PhD on Analytical and Historical
study of National Dividend. On the recommendation of Edwin Seligman
he was admitted, in 1916, in London School of Economics where under the
guidance of Sidney Webb, the famous economist, he was awarded M.Sc. In
1921he was granted D.Sc. by the London School of Economics, for his
thesis The Problem of the Rupee, Its Origin and Its Solution.
He qualified his Bar-at-Law from Greys Inn and returned India in 1917
and worked for a short period as a Probationer in the Accountant General
Office of Baroda, where he faced great humiliation because he belonged
to an untouchable class. Due this reason he left the job and came back to
Bombay where he remained unemployed for a long time. Ultimately got
an employment as a Professor of Political Economy in the Sydenham
College. He has practiced law since 1923, till 1929 worked as a professor
of law in the Government Law College, Bombay, also became its Principal.
In 1950, University of Osmania had conferred upon the honourable degree
of D.Litt and Columbia University, a degree of LL.D in 1952.

HIS POLITICAL CAREER

He remained MLA of Bombay province for ten years (1927-37). He was a
member of the Viceroy Council for five years too. Due to the ideological
difference and anti-Brahmin approach, for long he remained in conflict and
confrontation with Gandhi and Nehru consequently with congress also.
Ultimately, he modified his attitude for the sake of United India, and reelected from Bombay with the support of Congress. He joined the Nehru
Cabinet as Law Minister in 1947, after independence, he was made
chairman of the drafting committee of the Indian Constitution. This
GENIUS gave such a significant matchless constitution, which would ever
be a guide and cohesive force for United India.
There developed difference of opinion on the issues of Kashmir and
foreign policy which compelled him to resign as the cabinet minister in
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1951. He could not get elected 1952 and 1954 as an MP from Bombay and
Bandra. In 1952 he became member of Rajyashabha.

HIS ACTIVITIES
In 1919 when Montagu-Chelmsford reforms came to India, he submitted a
representation before Southborough Committee, pleading for a separate
electorate for the Depressed Classes on the pattern the British Rulers had
agreed for the Muslim population of India. He rose as a leader of
untouchables. This heralded a sense of freedom and demand for
equality of social and economic status in them. This was an eye opener for
High Caste Hindus. This compelled national leaders to sympathize with
the untouchable and understand that without associating them in the
national movement, they could not achieve the ends.
In early 1920, untouchables under the leadership of B.R. Ambedkar
started organizing themselves for an autonomous political constituency at
all India level. He negotiated for the emancipation of depressed class who
had been subdued and subjugated. He argued for unfettering the
depressed classes and untouchable, and formed the All India Conference
for them in Nagpur with the help of Sahu Maharaj of Kolhapur.
In 1924-27, he founded BAHISKRIT HITKARNI SABHA, and organized
several Hostels and education societies for depressed classes, launched
BIG SATYAGRAH to assert the rights of Untouchable on the public water
sources- wells and tanks, and their entry into temples, which put him into
direct confrontation with High Caste Hindus. in order to expose the
atrocities committed on the depressed classes, he also got published a
magazines like Bahiskrit Bharat, Prabudd Bharat and Janta.
He submitted a written statement on constitutional democracy advocating
the political status for depressed classes, before the Simon Commission in
1928.He introduced the bill for abolition of KHOTI SYSTEM in the Assembly.
He founded the labour party and opposed congress on Industrial trade
Union bill.
At initial stages he supported Gandhi to make the nation together on the
issue of depressed classes and transformation of the society but when he
noted that Gandhi was soft on orthodoxy and its promoters, he turned
against Gandhi and against Brahmanism in 1930.
He participated in the Round Table Conference, in 1930, as the
representative of a depressed class of India; the attitude of Gandhi and
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Congress in that conference was against the depressed class welfare. This
alienated Ambedkar from Gandhi and he pressed upon, in the conference,
for separate electorate for the Depressed Class. At the second Round
Table conference, Gandhi could not relax his adamant attitude which
brought
Ambedkar
in
a
head-on
collision
with
Gandhi. Finding no alternative there was a negotiation with the
representation of minorities and the Minorities Pact was signed. The
British Rulers gave the Communal Award in 1932 and granted separate
electorate to the Untouchables with provision of change on the consent
of class concerned. Gandhi protested it by resorting to a fast unto death.
After attending the third Round Table Conference he felt deep rooted
Caste Hindus thralldom.
He also put forward the constitutional reforms in India which later became
a part of India Act 1935.
The Poona Pact was consequential part of strategy of Gandhi in which a
promise was made for a joint electorate with reservations for Depressed
Classes. Ambedkar considered it as a caste Hindu stratagem to get
selected only those Untouchable, who were acceptable to caste Hindus to
perpetuate their dominion.
He became member of the Harijan Sevak Sangh executive Committee but
could not reconcile with the strategy of Gandhi for removing
untabouchability,which he considered as bait for trap, consequently
resigned the membership.
Ambedkar realized that his efforts were being foiled by the orthodoxy and
dogmas of the caste Hindus, who were determined to perpetuate disparity
and discrimination and deny even human rights. He called upon down
troddens to discard the Hindu religion in a meeting held in Oct 1935. He
even unsuccessfully explored the possibilities for conversion with the Sikh
leaders. His call fructified after twenty years and gave country neoBuddhists.
When congress designed not to give proper share in democracy to
Muslims, Ambedkar opposed it vehemently and accused congress policy
of not being democratic. When Muslims formed a separate platform to
share power, Ambedkar emulated them and formed separate forum for
scheduled caste. He also projected the same before the Crisp India
Mission.
During his five year membership of the Viceroys council, he formed the
policy for Reservation of Scheduled Castes in government services and
arranged to get labour welfare legislation passed.
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He was elected from Bengal in 1945, organized an agitation of scheduled

castes. He put frantic efforts before the British Government during this
period but not received favorable response from Clement Atlee. Ambedkar
had formulated several bills including Hindu Code bill, which was opposed
by orthodox Hindus.

HIS USE OF ENGLISH

Except a few writings in Marathi, he chose to write in English. His English
is placid, fluent and flawless. He used devices to clarify his ideas and
convince the reader. His style is more conscious touching than literary. He
used to plan the text carefully and support it with the authority. He
critiqued the topics with constructive and deconstructive approaches on
socio-economic and political issues. He explored the belief and foundation
of forbidden topics with indomitable courage. He is considered inimical to
the Manusmiriti and Brahmanism. He used his knowledge and English
language as weapons in the battle field to fight with orthodox tyrannical
forces. He attempted to cure the wound of inequitable and unjust social
fabrics of India. He was an erudite scholar of different disciplines and
social sciences.
Dr. Ambedkar had not tried his hands on English genres. He was neither a
poet nor a fiction writer. He was simple prose writer with certain purposes.
He even has not written his autobiography. His writings include speeches,
letters, memoranda, and articles. Very few of his works are enlisted
below:1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
11)
12)
13)
14)
15)
16)

The Administration and Finance of the East India Co.

The Evolution of Provincial Finance in British India.
The Annihilation of Caste.
The Riddles on Hinduism.
The Buddha and His Dhamma.
Ranade, Gandhi and Jinnah.
The Ancient Indian Commerce.
The History of Indian Currency.
Pakistan or the Partition of India.
Revolution and Counter-revolution in India.
The untouchable.
Buddha and Karl Marx.
The Manudharmashastra.
What Gandhi has done to untouchables?
Mr. Gandhi and emancipation of the Untouchables.
Who are the Sudras?

A large numbers of his writings remained in oblivion.

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HIS VIEWS
His continuous humiliation could not kill his courage; he wrote the books
who were Shudras and annihilation of Caste system. He attacked on the
rigidity of caste, graded inequality, unequal status in social order of
Hindus. He came to the conclusion that Hindu social order does not
recognized equaled ability and liberty of action. The caste has been
formed on the basis of inherited occupations, Hindu people confine their
interaction of inter dinning and inter-marriage within the caste, with an
idea of pollution, to perpetuate it. There is no room for individual merit
and no consideration of individual justice in Hindu social order. The theory
that four varnas were created from different parts of body of deity itself is
a gradation. He condemned this theory. He pointed out that the castes are
endogamous while gotras within a particular caste are exogamous. Hindu
observes exogamy of gotra in marriage? As per him the caste system has
either been imposed upon the docile population of India by a lawgiver as a
divine dispensation or it has developed deliberately, Caste is decided on
the status of parents. Manu is considered as the chief law giver, Ambedkar
criticized the Manusmiriti the treaty given by Manu vehemently and in a
rational way. He considered economic development of country as a
remedy of this disease. In his book Annihilation of caste he suggested
that there should be a Standard book of Hindu Religion, Priesthood should
be regulated by the government as per law carefully. There have been
many written arguments, confrontation, conflict and correspondence on
the issues of caste system between Gandhi and Ambedkar. Gandhi never
agreed what Ambedkar propounded. On the issue of religion and its being
applied force in the social structure. He opposed Madan Mohan Malviya,
Gandhi and Rajaji Gopalchari without fear. He considered religion in the
same way as evolutionary theory put forward by Charles Darwin. He says
that religion should not monopoly God and transcendental aspects of the
life. Religion is for safeguarding the moral domain of the society only.
There was a place of Karl-Marx ideology for class struggle to stop
economic exploitation in his thinking with peaceful means only. He was
not orthodox toward Muslims or Chritians. He appreciated that Islam does
not subscribed to caste theory or discrimination. Simultaneously he
viewed that Islam could not succeed to eliminate the social difference and
discrimination on the basis of caste. He made deep study of Christianity
and never opposed the conversion rather rejected the opposition to
conversion as made by Gandhi. Ambedkar has not gone deep into the
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philosophy of Upanishad in deconstructive ways. This shows that he was

not against the Indian Philosopy except social order based on Varna theory
and caste system.He considered the Gita as a later stage inpolation with
an object to cement the concept of caste system particularly when the
Gita prescribes the duties of each Varna.

CONCLUSION
He was so engrossed in his socio-economic mission that did not find
leisure to create literature. The literature he produced can be termed
socio-economic literature only, Of course, he was well versed in English
and he used it as a tool.
Gandhi received insults from English, which provoked him to strive.
Ambedkar was hurt since his childhood in India by his fellow countrymen
who provoked him to strive. Gandhi was over-ridden with the belief of
supremacy of Hindu religion Ambedkar was not. Gandhi was a shrewd
politician and adamant person. Ambedkar was not an astute politician but
a non-belligerent person. Both of them adopted non-violence methods to
achieve their respective goals.
AMBEDKAR did mistake by criticizing individuals. If he would have
somehow associated those individual leaders who were having held the
resources of India, the results would have been spectacularly amazing.
Ambedkar felt the strength of numerical of depressed class but was also
aware that those who followed him were dispossessed wealth, educational
and political powers. These reasons had made him to compromise with
those who were against his mission and objectives.
His decision to discard the demand for separate nation was like
discomfiture of those muslim-nawabs in the battle of Plessey in 1757 with
English.
English supported him and withdrew support as per their political
conveniences. He had over-trusted them. He did not concentrated on
gathering the resourceful followers. His strategy was to raise the world
opinion and lodge protest.
During those days, when there was lack of communication what he did
was commendable. Ambedkar would have alive in this age of global
communications?
If Ambedkar had adopted Islam, the history would have been different.
He was true Indian. He never forgot the Unity of India and welfare of
depressed class. The constitution he gave to our country is basis of
present democratic set up.

Page | 8

The reservation concessions he arranged, assisted the progress of the

down-trodden but it is being used as a political instrument.
The reservation policy has awaken a unification amongst exploited
castes and tribes, now it is spreading like fire to other fourth varnas
community who are not considered equal by High caste Hindu. This may
create a political and social disorder.
It is noticed that in the pages of annals there have been attempts to give
him a place but not in real life. I could not find the answer to these queries
even today. Perhaps due to the reasons that Hinduism is conglomeration
of religious beliefs and traditions of those who came to India including the
Aryan and assimilated the strongest and discarding the weak? Ambedkar
was not able to recognize this bare fact.. The caste based census and
politics still revolves
round to confront and favour his ideology. No
pleasant consequences could be seen in future if social disparity prevails
overridden with affronts.
Himadri
PhD Researcher, English

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