TARA CHAND BHAGAT
Like many other places all over the country as well as abroad the various functions to celebrating his 134th Jayanti at Ambedkar Chowk Jammu too have been made. If anybody asks me a question as to why I love Dr. B.R. Ambedkar my unequivocal answer is that he provided principled solutions to our national issues. This is not to compare him with others, past and present, but to interconnect problems with persons. Our country has many problems which need not be encountered but could be usefully listed to show priority in our social, economic and political revolution. In this essay this exercise is done, of course on a preliminary level for the emerging socialistic urges in India. Were such a great personality not born what would have been the fate of the downtrodden sections of the modern society? We all are indebted to this noble personality who architected the Constitution of India wherein he kept a provision of reservation of Govt. Jobs for the downtrodden members of the lower strata of the society otherwise in absence of such a provision, none of the members of Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes would have been able to be eligible to take advantage of Govt. Jobs. Whosoever had become IAS, IPS, DGs, Directors, Doctors, Advocates and many more much such like, had become taking the advantage of reservation. But it is very sorry for me to be stated herein this article that these officers have totally forgotten the noble work done by this great personality for them. None of them have come forward to take his mission forward except Manewar Kanshi Ram ji who really understood Baba Sahib’s philosophy and paved a way for political landscape.By the hard labour done by Manewar Kanshi Ram the present Govt. Of India have made Draupati Murmu-the President of India, Garish Chander Murmu, the Controller and Auditor General Of India, Deputy Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh belonging to the downtrodden communities of SCs/STs for providing them the benefit of political reservation. Dr. Ambedkar’s unique and unparalleled personality is a great source of inspiration for all.When we undertake a profound study of the life of and mission of Baba Sahib we come to know that he had fostered certain sublime values in his political life.He was influenced by the noble philosophy of Lord Gautam Buddha, Sant Kabir Ji and Mahatma Phule. Dr. Ambedkar observed rectitude and purity of heart and mind as values throughout his life. There was relevance in his precepts and practice. In the name of peace and non-violence he has never resorted to non-violent means. In the name of religious morality he had not preached any dogma.He was brought up in a very highly cultured though middle class family. Because his father was a staunch Kabirpanthi, his family was a cradle of virtues for him. He was nursed in the virtues which were professed by great saints like Kabir Ji and Tuakaram Ji. Man is known by the values he fosters. By values we mean the standards or principles in terms of which choices are made among alternative courses of action -that is the normative component in the determination of action. So, Baba Sahib cherished the values of self- respect. Undoubtedly, Dr. Ambedkar was an excellent and unmatchable personality. Guilding gold or painting a lily would be easier than to catch the Kalaedoscopic personality like that of Dr. Ambedkar in the frail framework of words. A great scholar, lawyer, law professor, social reformer, political leader ,leader, statesman, economist, a religious epoch-maker are some of the facets of the galaxy of his personality.
Dr. Ambedkar as an ideal student
Dr. Ambedkar had great passion for books. He bought as many books as he could and preserved them in his library. While he was abroad for his studies,he saved as such money as he could and spent it on buying old books.As a result of his hobby his book collection swelled. We rarely find such a huge collection with a single individual. This habit of book collection is associated with scholars in Europe. It has not become common in our country. So, Dr. Ambedkar is held in high esteem by all Indians, as an intellectual luminary, a great crusader for social justice and the chief architect of our Indian Constitution. Baba Sahib took 2 years ,11 months and 17 days to write a great Constitution Of India.
Menmay come and men may go But the sweet memories of gems like Ambedkar will stay forever. Dr. Ambedkar’s name will be ever remembered for the architect of the Indian Constitution in a superb manner. He not only drafted the comprehensive Constitution beautifully but ably defended the draft of the constituent Assembly. Ambedkar’s Constitution lay in so far as he expressed his ideas. The Constitution would not have been so explicit and clear, its length and bulk notwithstanding, but for his skill and intelligence. So, Indian Constitution is a synthesis of idealism and the present matter of factness. The Directive Principles for social justice are a heart and soul of Indian Constitution. In his speech on November 25,1949, Dr. Ambedkar had said, “A good Constitution may turn into a bad one if it is not honestly implemented. Conversely, a bad Constitution may turn into a good one if there is an honest and scrupulous effort to implement its provisions.” Our Constitution envisages the principle One man, one vote and one value. “But our previous govts. continued to deny this principle ‘One man,one value’ on account of unequal pattern in our social and economic lives.”
Champion for Human Rights-Under the provisions of Article 14 all are equal in the eyes of law. Whether they are men or women all enjoy equal rights.By revolting against caste system Dr. B.R. Ambedkar had roused the consciousness of the poor people and made them feel that they are not the slaves of other people but they also the people who can enjoy equal human rights. Unless and until the caste system in India is rooted out,there cannot be any real socialistic pattern of Society. So, all the SCs/STs/OBCs, acknowledge its indebtedness to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, a great social reformer and thus is called as a Champion of Human Rights.Even great men can be born in any caste. As Dr B.R. Ambedkar had born in the lowest caste called as Mahar. Whileas he died as a great man to whom we are remembering with great respect and reverence.
Right from the Chaturvarna system, untouchability has continuously been practised. But it was Dr. Ambedkar who himself was an untouchable, has abolished untouchability Under Article 17 of the Indian Constitution. Its practice has been forbidden and also been made punishable under law of the land. Dr. Ambedkar was a great lover of peace,justice and social service to the society. So, he had to wage war against all injustices.But the way he adopted was a peaceful one. He was a great defender of peace and constitutional morality. Once he said, “I am reported to be against peace. This is not correct. I am for peace.But the peace based on justice, not the peace of a graveyard. So long as justice is not respected in the world there can’t be any peace.” His definition of democracy also reveals his indomitable faith in peaceful revolution. He wanted to get the power. Why? Political power is the key to all social progress. This power we must win,armed with this power, We can protect the interests of our people. In his opinion power is a means to serve the interests of the society. Power should not corrupt power. It was Dr. Ambedkar who took further in a true sense the social equality movement started by Mahatma Jyotiba Phule. Mahatma Phule did not believe in compartmental approach and wanted the movement to be started simultaneously in all three spheres namely, economic, social and religious. Baba Sahib tried to translate this thought of Phule into reality. He said that mere right of entry into temple for the untouchables would not mean improvement, the entire social order had got to be changed.
Dr. Ambedkar embraced Buddhism
Untouchability was abolished by law in India but nonetheless Dr. Ambedkar saw that by and large the Caste Hindu continued to be indifferent to the inequality and justice that the untouchables had to suffer. He felt that he had no alternative but to forsake the Hindu religion and embraced another faith which will give the untouchables equality, liberty and dignity. Ultimately he embraced Buddhism at the historic Deekshant Ground at Nagpur on October 14,1956-Vijaya Dashmi Day with thousands of his followers. Dr. Ambedkar had chosen a religion which was Indian in origin and had flourished here. Why he preferred Buddhism? According to him Buddhism teaches Prajna(understanding as against superstition and supernaturalism),Karuna (pity) and Samta (equality). After all this is what man wants for good and happy life. Besides, conversion to Buddhism has given to his followers a sense of self-respect, self-reliance, and dignity, which is in a way a great boon to society. The loss is so great that no tributes are sufficient. Even words do fail us. The loss of passing away of such a great personality is not only to SCs/STs/OBCs but also to our country as a whole.
