Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (BRA) was born on 14th April, 1891. He was the 14th child, the last of his parents. We have celebrated his 134th birth anniversary throughout the country. Even beyond the country. He had breathed his last on December 6, 1956. Just at the age of 65. His life story is rich. It deserves to be shared.
He suffered throughout his schooling from the curse of untouchability. He was married after his passing the matriculation in 1907. Both were minor. After graduation, he was selected as a scholar to go to USA for higher studies. This, in fact, was the turning point in his educational career. He was at Columbia University for three years. He took 29 courses in economics, 11 in history, 6 in sociology and 5 in philosophy. He got his MA and Ph.D during 1915 and 1916. From USA, he came to London for his further studies. He was admitted to the Gray’s Inn for Law and was also allowed to prepare for D.Sc. at the LSE. He had to return to India. Later, he went to UK. Got his Bar-at-Law and D.Sc degree also. He studied for some time at Bonn University in Germany.
BRA during 1935-36 after his return, he wrote, ”Waiting for a Visa”, a 20 page autobiographical story. It covered his experiences with untouchability from his childhood. The book is used as a text book in Columbia University. The Osmania University awarded another Doctorate on January 12, 1953. This catalog of his academic attainments has been unmatchable.
BRA had a different vision. The Mahad Satyagraha of 1927 was the change maker in Amedkar’s political thought. He led a group of Dalits to drink water from Chavdar lake. The lake was a public water source. He sowed the seeds of Dalit emancipation. Ambedkar said that we are not going to the tank to drink its water. We are going to the tank to assert that we too are human beings. We are equals. The echo of this is integral part of Article 15 of the Indian Constitution. There would be no restriction on any citizen only on the ground of religion, race or caste regarding the use of wells, tanks and bathing ghats. Possibly, no body could have at that time thought that it would become part of the Indian Constitution.
Mahatma Gandhi was the Father of the Nation. BRA was the father of the Constitution. Mahatma Gandhi wanted that the Chief Architect of the Indian Constitution should be a scholar from the depressed classes. Therefore, he persuaded Jawahar Lal Nehru and Sardar Patel to make him the Chairman of the Drafting Committee. It needs to be acknowledged that he rose well above the ranks of the framers of many a constitution. His scholarship and erudition were his constant companions. The intellectual feast coupled with his vastness of reading. The ability to marshal the facts. These were his tools to crease out the different amendments moved. Whenever the amendments were proposed, the members of the Constituent Assembly (CA) were given opportunity to debate and discuss. He would stand up to respond. He would invariably persuade the Assembly to his point of view. He never allowed the democratic process to be tinkered. It was never an empty formality. The crafting of the Constitution took almost three years. The CA Debates would bear testimony for all times to come. Moreover, there were seven original members of the Drafting Committee. Aakash Singh Rathore in his recent book (2020): Amabedkar’s Preamble has recorded that 5 of the key persons actually had little or no contribution in the drafting process. Ultimately, the burden of drafting the constitution fell on BRA. The authorship of the Preamble also belongs to him. The Preamble was born on February 6, 1948. The Preamble of 1950 contained 81 words. In 1976, four words were added. Nothing was taken out. The 75 years Constitutional journey has proved that the whole of the constitution can be interpreted through the medium of the Preamble. Equally, the constitutional courts have ruled that the constitution begins with the Preamble. It is integral part of the constitution. In fact, the Preamble contains the basic structure of the constitution. It is amenable within certain limitations. No essential feature can be deleted or excluded or removed. In essence, the Preamble itself is the basic structure of the constitution. BRA’s DNA runs through the Preamble and the Constitution. In 1952, Columbia University conferred upon him the degree of LL.D. This was in recognition of the work done by him as Chief architect of the constitution.
BRA gave us the Indian-nized Constitution. Granville Austin described the Indian Constitution, most progressive and revolutionary political document of the time. We Indians were not used to follow the discipline of the constitution. We had difficulties. In desperation, BRA said, burn the constitution if you cannot follow the constitution. He made it clear that no constitution is good or bad. It all depends upon the men who are working out the constitution. The crafting of the constitution is not difficult. The working out of a constitution is a serious, responsible and disciplined exercise. The story of 75 years of Indian Constitution is the story of protecting the basic structure of the constitution. This is how, we are still being governed by the Indian Constitution. We would be continued to be governed by the holy book. This constitutional gift of BRA will last long. Let us look forward to the first centenary celebrations of the constitution. I had spoken on : How young is the US Constitution on the occasion of bicentennial celebrations of the US constitution in 1987. In 2050, we would be speaking : How young is the Indian Constitution. Constitutions do not get aged. With the passage of time, they grow like a plant. They emerge as a tree to continue to serve the nation.
BRA resigned from his post of the first law minister of India. The comprehensive Hindu Code Bill was dropped by the Indian Parliament. The key features of the bill were: women could inherit family property. The code gave both man and woman the right to divorce. Widows and divorcees were given the right to remarry. BRA was a supporter of women rights. He believed that every girl who marries must stand by her husband, to be husband’s friend and equal. She should refuse to be his slave. Surely, this would have brought dignity to the women in India at the threshold of the Constitution.
BRA was unique in different ways. His thinking. His vision. His statesmanship. How much we wish, he had lived longer. The shape of Indian Constitution would have been more wholesome than we see it today. The like of him are rare.
