April 14, 2017 marks the 126th anniversary of Bheemrao Ramji Ambedkar, fondly known as Baba Saheb Ambedkar in the history of India. Over the years, we’ve seen a rush of opportunists extolling the Ambedkarian glory—a part of their respective political agendas. Politicians refer to the ‘Father of Indian Constitution’ in their speeches with an eye on their ‘Dalit vote bank’. Indians have limited Ambedkar’s contribution to just two areas—architecting Indian constitution and uplifting the status of minorities, especially Dalits.
Focused on BR Ambedkar’s anti-Muslim, anti-Gandhi, Dalit-centric ideologies, the society has turned a blind eye to his role as a nation builder, political reformer, creative economist, crafty statesman and a nationalist. Yes, Ambedkar was an emancipator of the oppressed, but he was more than just a Robin Hood for the downtrodden. It’s essential to debunk the legends and fancies surrounding B.R. Ambedkar’s ideologies.
Today, on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti, let’s make an attempt to go through his philosophies. Don’t believe everything that is said and preached. If you read between the lines, you’ll notice what Ambedkar was and what he really meant.
- Drafting Hindu Code Bill doesn’t make Ambedkar a pro-Hindu. The Bill was a weapon to felicitate Women Empowerment and Equality—things that went unnoticed in traditional Hindu society.
The Hindu Code Bill is a controversial ordinance that established ‘Hinduism’ as a negative category, disregarding other religions in process. It was never meant to unite Sikhs, Bengalis, Buddhists and Jains or alienate Muslims, Christians, Jews and Parsis. It was designed as a tool to eliminate the unconstructive practices in patriarchal Hindu families. It did away with the caste system, focusing on more significant areas like marriage, guardianship adoption, succession and maintenance, distribution of assets in joint families and role of women in society.
The intent was to give women and younger generations their rightful place in adult-dominated families. Sadly, Ambedkar’s contributions went unnoticed by women organizations as well as NGOs.
- Ambedkar’s Policies were Instrumental in Bringing about Employment Reforms—a Fact no one gave him Credit for.
Between 1942 and 1946, B.R. Ambedkar was the Labor Member of Viceroy’s Executive Council. Being a proficient economist that he was, Ambedkar established employment exchanges and brought about several labor reforms. His tripartite settlement played a pivotal role in controlling disputes between labor unions, governing bodies and employers.
Ambedkar’s PhD thesis ‘The Evolution of Provincial Finance in British India’ laid out guidelines on devolving resources between the states and the centres—something we never gave him credit for. He also shaped the irrigation police of Damodar Valley Project, on the lines of foreign’s Tennessee Valley Project for the benefit of Indian farmers. However, the finance commission didn’t recognize his role as a member of finance commission.
- Ambedkar’s Reservation Policy was Meant to Uplift the Status of Dalits for a Decade. The Policy was Never Meant to Continue Beyond that.
Ambedkar’s caste-based reservation system was one of the most efficiently managed political scams of all times. Baba Saheb never believed in caste system. He just wanted to abolish the concept of ‘untouchability’ from the Indian society. For centuries, the Dalits were forced to believe that they were inherently lacking in qualities required for an opulent, progressive lifestyle. So, rather than challenging this ideology, they found satisfaction in performing their assigned duties with utmost sincerity, secretly wishing to be born in an upper caste in the next life.
Ambedkar questioned their interest in following slavery by choice. He made them realize that they were humans with equal rights and motivated them to climb through the social ladder. Caste reservation system was a helping hand that meant to invoke this change in the society. The policy was introduced for a decade to see if the lower castes fare well in society. Unfortunately, it was carried forward with political intent.
- Ambedkar—a Patron of Minority Rights was not an Anti-Muslim, as advocated by Hindu Extremists.
Muslims played a peculiar role before and after the independence. Both Hindu and Muslim communities equally contended for political power, with different aspirations. One can’t deny the fact that the socio-religious hegemony of the Hindus is consistent even today. Seeing that his social reformist ideas attracted controversies, Ambedkar realized it wasn’t possible to change rigid Hindu ideologies using cultural reformist methods therefore he chose the political method to make his way through two prime, power-hungry religious forces.
Though the Hindu leadership was accommodative of Muslim demands, when it came to share a large piece of pie with Muslims and other minorities, it was as the cost of the untouchables. Thus, Ambedkar found himself unintentionally pitted against the Muslims—a fact painted by firm believers of Hinduism (including Mahatma Gandhi), who were naturally begrudged by his rising political power.
- Ambedkar Embraced Buddhism because the Religion stood on the Pillars of Secular Ideas.
Ambedkar wasn’t against Hinduism or Islam, he just wanted to remove the negativities surrounding these complex religions. Though he was born an untouchable Hindu, he decided he wouldn’t die a Hindu. After studying many religions and creeds for years, he decided to convert in Buddhism—a religion that was based on fraternity, liberty, equality and secular ideas. Therefore, he embraced Buddhism—a move that was openly opposed by Gandhi as he believed religion isn’t like a cloak that could be changed as and when desired. Hindus expected Ambedkar to perform cultural duties that were traditionally assigned to them however; it didn’t sit well with Ambedkar.
Here’s where Hindu extremists advocate that Ambedkar chose Buddhism over Islam—a fact that makes him pro-Hindu, anti-Muslim. But, we must understand that his personal choice was guided by non-violent, secular, democratic ideas that Buddhism advocated.
- ‘True’ Bhakti in Religion May Yield Salvation but Bhakti in Politics is a Road to Degradation.
After 61 years since Ambedkar’s death, we may agree with his ideas of equality, but blind ‘hero worship’ is something that we practice even today. Indians are inclined towards ‘Bhakti’—which should be accepted as the ‘path of devotion’, what it literally means. Nevertheless, we interpret is as hero worship, something that we’ve been doing in social, political, cultural and religion sense.
On November 25, 1949, Ambedkar delivered a speech at the Constituent Assembly saying, “There’s nothing wrong in being grateful to great men who’ve rendered lifelong services to the country, but there are limits to gratefulness. In India, Bhakti plays a greater part in politics than any other country”. Unfortunately, the idea of ‘Bhakti’ (blind worship) threatens Indian democracy, social integrity and harmony, something that Ambedkar always predicted.
