By Diya Naidu
(Student of Maharashtra National University, Nagpur)
“I like the religion that teaches Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” – By Dr. Br Ambedkar
“You cannot build anything on the foundation of the caste. You cannot build up a nation. You cannot build up a morality” – By Dr. Br Ambedkar
DR.BR Ambedkar: A Great Revolutionist
Dr. Br Ambedkar was born on 14th April 1891 in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh. He obtained a “Master of Arts and doctorate in economics from Colombia University, a Master of Science and doctorate of science in economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a barrister of law at Grey’s Inn, London.” For anyone to earn so many degrees, let alone an untouchable who was born at the end of the nineteenth century in a small rural town in a colonial nation, is very impressive. He belongs to a Mahar community which was considered to be one of the largest untouchable’s castes in India. Mahars were the village servants who performed the hereditary duties for the highest dominant groups of the village basically the upper caste. His name was Bhiva, and there is a story behind how he came to be known as Ambedkar. After he was born, his family moved to Ratangiri from Dapoli, as was customary in Maharashtra, where all names ending in kar denote the name of a village; consequently, his name became known as Ambavadekar. He had to walk a great distance to get to school when he was in school, so a Brahmin teacher supported him by giving him lunch every day. This teacher gave him the name “Ambedkar.” The boy’s name was given the honourable designation of Ambedkar in his honour. Bhiva and his brother never encountered untouchability in their former military homes, but when they moved to Satara, they had to deal with a lot of prejudice beginning in school. They had to sit apart, and they couldn’t find a barber to cut their hair. When he wanted to learn Sanskrit but discovered that it was forbidden for untouchables, he was left with only two options: English or Persian. He had to remain alone and spent the majority of his time reading and studying books while he continued his education at Elphinstone High School. He received a scholarship from the Maharaja of Baroda so that he could pursue his education outside of India, and in exchange, he agreed to serve the Baroda state for a set period of time. And there, he had to deal with a lot of caste-based discrimination. His subordinates and the Brahmin clerks treated him poorly and threw paper on his desks to prevent them from speaking to him. All of these encounters had a profound effect on him, and he made the decision to study hard and stand up for the untouchables.
His ideas can be reflected through his famous writings like “Castes in India: Their Mechanism, Genesis and Development, Mook Nayak (weekly), The Problem of the Rupee: its origin and its solution. Bahishkrut Bharat (India Ostracized), Janta (weekly), The Annihilation of Caste, Federation Versus Freedom, Thoughts on Pakistan”. It is impossible to forget his contribution to the Indian Constitution. He was the chairman of the drafting committee and was regarded as the father of the Indian Constitution and also he was the first law minister of India. He believes that social justice can be achieved in Indian society where there will be no caste system and no discrimination based upon it[1].
Caste System in India
The word caste originated from the Latin term “castus” which means chaste or pure. When the Portuguese arrived in India they used the word “casta” in order to refer to social hierarchy in the Indian subcontinent. There are many theories on how caste system came into existence. References to a social hierarchy can be traced to Rig Veda where purursukta theory describes that the four Varna’s of Hindu religion came from being “Supreme being”. All good deeds would be carried out by Brahmins, who originated from the head and were priests; Kshatriya, who originated from the arms and were warriors; Vaishyas, who are members of the business class; and Shudras, who were labourers and originated from the feet it, is called as Varna system. And below shudras are the dalits who were previously referred to as “untouchables”
Caste System being created through Rigidity in Varna System
The rigidity of this Varna system increased over time, and as a result, a person’s status and occupation in society are now determined by their birth. For example, if a person is born into the Brahmin caste, only Brahmins are permitted to hold the position of priest. As a result of this rigidity, the Varna system evolved into the caste system, where a person’s status and occupation are determined by their birth. The upper caste tried to dominate lower caste. Historically, dalits were viewed as being at the bottom of the social scale by those who belonged to them, considering them to be impure. These people adhere to the concept of purity and pollution, and as a result, dalits are constantly regarded as being at the bottom and must endure numerous forms of discrimination, including at times severe exploitation and violence. They were not allowed to attend schools, were not allowed to enter temples, were not allowed to work at places of worship, were made to perform menial tasks, were not treated with respect in society, and were also confronted with physical abuse, sexual violence, and other kinds of discrimination. Dr. Br. Ambedkar, who was also born into a low caste family in the Maharashtra region’s “Mahar” community, experienced discrimination as a child while attending school and as an adult while working from the upper caste.
As a result, he made the decision to fight for the rights of the Dalit and lower caste individuals and shared his ideas about social justice. “He says that we are against Brahmanism not Brahmins”[2].
Who are the Untouchables?
Ambedkar distinguished between the institutions of caste and untouchability, despite the fact that both are marked by the same principle of graduated inequality. Untouchability is not just an extreme instance of caste discrimination; it is also a qualitatively different form because the system kept the untouchable outside of the community and made any social interaction with him offensive and polluting. He did not agree that prejudice based on race was the root of untouchability. In his eyes, it was a Brahmanic social institution that was being upheld. He put forward a very creative thesis that untouchables were broken men living on the outer edges of village communities who became stigmatized as untouchables due to their refusal to give up Buddhism and beef-eating[3].
Concept of Social Justice by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
The idea of social justice arose during the rise of societal norms, order, law, and morality. During the French Revolution of 1789, social justice achieved importance. In general, liberty, equality, and fraternity are utilized to explain it. The phrases “social justice” and “justice” are joined to make the phrase. All individuals who reside in society are deemed to be “social,” while “justice” is associated with freedom, equality, and rights. Liberty, equality, and fraternity are acknowledged as the guiding tenets of social justice. As a result, social justice aims to protect each individual’s rights to liberty, equality, and involvement with society. In those other words, ensuring that each and every person of society has the greatest chance of realizing their potential can be referred to as social injustice. Dr. Br Ambedkar stands out as an advocate of social justice. He held the view that everyone should be treated equally and that no one should face discrimination because of their caste, gender, religion, or economic status. Ambedkar was adamantly opposed to the Hindu caste system because he believed that it was solely to blame for the various groups of society, especially the weaker groups and scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, having been subjected to all manner of atrocities. Because Manu Smriti gives the Brahmins a free pass to commit any kind of atrocity against scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and justifies their evil intentions, he was against it. The truth is that two notable Indian individuals a reformer and revolutionary Mahatma Jyotiba Phule from the 19th century and the intellectual and revolutionary B.R. Ambedkar from the 20th century were able to empathize with the plight of the untouchables because they had witnessed it first-hand. Ambedkar blamed the brahminical Hindu social order for classifying people into the lower caste and the higher caste.
Ambedkar argued that there must be a single Hindu religious standard that is recognized by all Hindus and considered as authoritative by all Hindus. Hinduism should do away with the practice of priesthood, and no priest without a valid sanad should be able to officiate at any ceremonies. The number of priests should be legally restricted to meet the needs of the state and should be considered to be servants of the state who are subject to punishment. Ambedkar in his two well-known works who were the shudras [1947] and the Untouchables [1948] had given the details that who is shudras and who is untouchables and he used the word untouchable for the [achuta] dalit. In his book “Annihilation of Caste” is a book written by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar he argues if we want social justice in Indian Society then it can be only through by removing the caste system in the society he says that caste system is not only a social problem but also a political one he contends that the caste system not just to perpetuates poverty and obstructs economic and social advancement, but it is also prejudiced. Ambedkar proposed that there must be one and only one norm of Hinduism that has been accepted by all Hindus and is suitable to all Hindus. The role of the priest should be abolished among Hindus, and no event should be presided over by a priest without a valid sanad. According to the needs of the state, the number of priests should be legally limited and they should be treated as servants of the state who are subject to disciplinary action. He went on to say that “the caste system is the root of untouchability, the religion attached to the varnashram is the root of the varnashram, and the root of the brahminical religion is authorization of power.” He says the statement in order to show the condition of untouchables he says that in slavery master had the responsibility to feed give food and shelter to the slaves anyhow but in the system of untouchability the Hindu takes no responsibility for the maintenance of untouchable and give no respect to them. In addition to unrestrained economic exploitation, untouchability is a system of unregulated ecological exploitation. It is for this reason that it is not being restrained by impartial government agencies or independent public opinion. There is no need for appealing to the public’s opinion because, if there is one, Hindus, who are members of the exploiting class and, as such, favour exploitation, are the ones who hold it. Simply put, there is no verify from the police or judiciary because they all come from Hindu backgrounds and support exploiters.
He tried to argue that biggest obstacle to achieve social justice in India is the caste system. He pushed for the removal of the caste system and the progress of a society based on ability and recognition. B.R. Ambedkar told the South borough Commission for Franchise when they visited India in 1918 that dalits needed one’s own ridings and that seats for the poorer classes should be reserved. The rights of Dalits to participate in festivals and enter into temples are both troublesome. Ambedkar wanted to end the practice of being considered untouchable, and in request to influence people’s opinions, he published many pieces in journals like Mook Nayak, Bishkrit Bharat, Equality, Janta, etc. He also organized protest marches like the Mahad March and Satyagraha against the follow by allowing untouchables to enter temples. According to him, the economic and political equality of Shudras was essentially the issue at hand. Hindu caste system attacks and difficulties them frequently.
They have restricted access to temples, and schoolchildren are forced to sit in separate classes. He thought that individuals could be enabled by education and given the means to battle social bias. In order to guarantee equal possibilities and advance social justice, he pointed out the significance of providing education to all people, regardless of their caste or economic standing[4][5].
Root of all Cause of Lack of Social Justice in India: The Caste System
According to Dr. Br. Ambedkar, discrimination against lower people is a violation of human rights that prevents social mobility and results in discrimination against lower caste members by upper caste people. He also claimed that the caste system established a rigid hierarchy in society. He believed that it’s the caste system which is responsible for the unequal distribution of power, wealth in the society because of which dalits gets more marginalized and discriminated. Because of caste system only certain groups enjoy privileges and opportunities and dalit people were deprived from their rights. This social exclusion has a bad impact on their minds. He believes that without abolishing caste system we cannot achieve social justice[6].
His Struggle for Social Justice
Br Ambedkar dedicated his entire life to advancing the welfare of the underprivileged and untouchable members of society. To make a significant change in such a society, Ambedkar had only his reason and thought to rely on. Prioritizing economic and social equality over political equality, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar exerted all he could to give those who have a oppressed voice in society. In order to end the injustices brought about by the caste system in the country, he emphasized equitable treatment over political justice and stressed equal opportunity and individual freedom. Ambedkar argued in favour of a system of society in which a person’s rank is established by their achievements and merit instead of by the conditions of their birth. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar adhered to progressive social justice principles. He was against violence and believed that media might serve as a powerful tool for bringing about social shifts that would expand freedom and justice. He oversaw the drafting of the Indian Constitution, which includes provisions like Article 17 that address the elimination of untouchability. In his speech to the constituent assembly, he expressed great optimism and said, “I have finished my work. I wish there should be sunrise even tomorrow.”[7]
Ambedkar’s Struggle for Social Justice in British India
Ambedkar demanded that the depressed classes have the ability to elect their representatives through distinct elections to provincial and central legislatures, arguing that they not only ought to their own voters but also deserve to be reflected by their own men. He submitted this demand to the Round Table Conference on January 4, 1931. His fight during the British era was centred on giving the poor access to education and advocating for their representation in state and federal legislative councils based on the needs of their population and the significance of state and federal jobs. All democratic institutions should equally represent them.
Ambedkar’s Role for Social Justice in Independent India
As the Chairman of the Drafting Committee Ambedkar he kept in mind the interests of Scheduled Castes while drafting the constitution. In fact, Ambedkar participated in the Social Justice Constituent Assembly’s general agreement that the term “Backward Classes” would encompass three essential elements include Scheduled Castes, Scheduled tribes, other backward classes. Ambedkar subsequently set out to secure equality for all economically disadvantaged groups in the nation in accordance with the demands of a new Constitution. The commitments made to the social revolution are centred on this trinity, which includes the preamble, fundamental rights, and guiding principles of state policies. He said that bill of rights was essential feature which is basic rights which protect and promote equality among the minorities. For example, he drafted Articles 14, 15, 16, 17 and 23 to guarantee the rights of minorities.
Conclusion
He made a significant contribution to the advancement of the Dalit community in India as a great social reformer, advocate, and politician. His crucial work on the Indian Constitution for Independent India will forever be remembered. He believed that social justice can be attained through the principles of equality, liberty, and fraternity and that the caste system is the main obstacle to both the socioeconomic development of the nation and the achievement of social justice. From British India to Independent India, he fought for the rights of those who were marginalized. Inequalities between people, according to him, can be eliminated by eliminating the caste system. Dr. Ambedkar placed a high priority on education and economic empowerment in his efforts to improve the lot of the underprivileged. Additionally, he believed that by eliminating caste-based prejudice and building a society that was completely equitable social justice could be achieved. He made every effort to ensure that the underprivileged received their own electorates so they could vote for the candidates they believed were most deserving. Additionally, certain provisions were set aside for unprivileged people during the Constitution’s drafting to ensure their welfare. Ambedkar’s theories oppose an inhumane social structure rather than the affluent individuals who sustain and propagate injustice in Indian society. Ambedkarism is being promoted in order to create a just society, not caste politics.
[1] GAIL OMVEDT, AMBEDKAR TOWARDS ENLIGHTENED INDIA 1-10 [ Penguin Books 1st ed. 2004].
[2] Kanta Kataria, Dr.B.r. Ambedkar as a nation builder, 73 IPSA 601, 601-605 (2012).
[3] M.J. Audi, Ambedkar’s struggle for Untouchables: Reflections, 50 IPSA 302, 302-320 (1989).
[4] AMBEDKAR & NATION BUILDING, 64-70 [Shyam Lal & K.S Saxena ed, Rawat Publications 1988].
[5] K.M Anitha Sheryl & Dr. Rajakumari, The Ideas of Ambedkar on Social Justice in India, 12 TOJQI 10220, 10220- 10223 [ 2021].
[6] Anup Hiwrale, Caste: Understanding the Nuances from Ambedkar’s Expositions, 10 J.Soc.Incl. 1, 1-19 [2020].
[7] Ranjithkumar Arum gam, Ambedkar’s Notion of Social Justice, 2 Int. J. Eng. Res. 1, 1-4 [2011].