D r . B . R . A m b e d k a r : T h e M a k e r o f M o d e r n I n d i a Edited by Dr. Desh Raj Sirswal 1 Dr. B.R. Ambedkar: The Maker of Modern India Edited by Dr. Desh Raj Sirswal Centre for Positive Philosophy and Interdisciplinary Studies (CPPIS), Milestone Education Society (Regd.), Pehowa (Kurukshetra)-136128 (HARYANA) 2 Dr. B.R. Ambedkar: The Maker of Modern India Editor: Dr. Desh Raj Sirswal ISBN: 978-81-922377-8-7 First Edition: April 2016 © Centre for Positive Philosophy and Interdisciplinary Studies (CPPIS), Pehowa (Kurukshetra) All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above mentioned publisher of this book. Editor: Dr. Desh Raj Sirswal, Assistant Professor (Philosophy), P. G. Govt. College for Girls, Sector-11, Chandigarh Publisher: Centre for Positive Philosophy and Interdisciplinary Studies (CPPIS), Milestone Education Society (Regd.), Balmiki Dharmashala, Ward No.06, Pehowa (Kurukshetra)-136128 (Haryana) Website: http://positivephilosophy.webs.com , Email: [email protected] Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the articles of this book are those of the individual authors, and not necessary of the Editor. Authors are responsible for any violation of copyright as they produced a certificate of original authorship while submitting the full paper. (Editor). 3 This book is dedicated to The Greatest Indian Dr. B.R. Ambedkar 4 Table of Contents Editor’s Note- Desh Raj Sirswal (6-7) 1. THE STRUGGLE FOR HUMAN DIGNITY: DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR’S PERSPECTIVE: Jayadev Sahoo (08-19) 2. DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR’S IDEAS ON EGALITARIAN SOCIETY AND HINDU SOCIAL SYSTEM: THE CIRCULATION OF SOCIAL JUSTICE IN 21st CENTURY: Deepesh Nandan (20-27) 3. NEW CONCEPTUALISATION OF MAN AND SOCIETY: ROLE OF DR.B.R.AMBEDKAR: Bhumika Sharma (28-30) 4. SOCIAL PHILOSOPHY OF DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR BEHIND EDUCATION: Harmandeep Kaur (31-36) 5. DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR AS A SOCIAL REFORMER: Hiralal Mahato & Urmi Saha (37-43) 6. DR. BHIM RAO AMBEDKAR AND HIS EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY: Sanjeev Kumar (44-49) 7. Dr. B.R. AMBEDKAR’S THOUGHTS ON SOCIAL REFORMS AND JUSTICE: Anu Khanna (50-55) 8. SOCAL JUSTICE AND DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR: Devinderjit Kaur (56-61) 9. DEMOCRACY IN INDIA: PERSPECTIVE OF DR.B. R. AMBEDKAR: Ritika (62-67) 10. B.R.AMBEDKAR’S VIEWS ON LIBERTY AND EQUALITY- A STUDY: M.Sampathkumar (68-76) 11. DR. BHIMRAO AMBEDKAR’S CONTRIBUTION IN THE DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS STRUGGLE: Desh Raj Sirswal (77-86) 12. RELIGIOUS IDEAS OF DR. BHIMRAO AMBEDKAR: Madhubala Kumari (87-91) Contributors 5 Editor’s Note Dr. B. R. Ambedkar is one of the most eminent intellectual figures of modern India. The present year is being celebrated as 125th Birth Anniversary of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. Educationist and humanist from all over the world are celebrating 125th Birth Anniversary of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar by organizing various events and programmes. In this regard the Centre for Positive Philosophy and Interdiscipinary Studies (CPPIS) Pehowa (Kurukshetra) took an initiative to be a part of this mega event by organizing an national level esssay competition for students, publication of books, posters and research journals on Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s ideas, writings and outlook could well be characterized as belonging to that trend of thought called Social Humanism. He developed a socio-ethical philosophy and steadfastly stood for human dignity and freedom, socio-economic justice, material prosperity and spiritual discipline. He showed the enlightening path for Indian society via his ideals of freedom, equality and fraternity and made India a democratic country. The complete works of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar published by the Governemtn of Maharastra and it has taken about 25 years to complete this initiative in 21 Volumes with the name, “Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar: Writing and Speeches” and covers 14000 pages. In the words of Trilochan Sing, “Above all, Dr. Ambedkar is a philosopher. Those who read his books cannot be failed to be impressed with steadffastness with which he pursues truth; and only those who have dispassionately read his books can frame true estimate of the greatness of the man”. These 21 Volumes includes books published by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar himself and unpublished writings and speaches too. The present volume entitled “Dr. B.R. Ambedkar: The Maker of Modern India” contains 12 research papers on the different aspects of philosophy of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar written by academicians from different branches of knowledge. You can find a variety of dialogues and concen about the theme of the book here. We are not defending this book as a highly an 6 intellectual work but a smaller step to know the various aspects of this great personality and is a start to study his vast wisdom. You suggestions and comments are welcome to its first hand review version. I am thankful to all the contributors for their excellent contributions and for their patience while the book was completed. I would like to thank the extremely helpful crew of CPPIS including Dr. Merina Islam, Dr. Vijay Pal Bhatnagar, Ms. Poonama Verma, Mr. Vikram Lohat and Vipin Sangar and the members of Milestone Education Society (Regd.) Pehowa (Kurukshetra) for their valuable suggestions and positive assistance towards CPPIS works. 14th April, 2016 Dr. Desh Raj Sirswal 7 1. THE STRUGGLE FOR HUMAN DIGNITY: DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR’S PERSPECTIVE Jayadev Sahoo Abstract The concept of Human Dignity plays a pivotal role in Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s philosophy. Human Dignity means one is entitled to have respect by virtue of human nature. Since the Dalits have been dominated by the upper caste Hindus for the centuries, Ambedkar has given his heart and soul for the upliftment and dignity of the Dalits. The ‘Untouchables’ have to face a lot of social, economic and educational discrimination on account of their birth status. Whenever an upper caste Hindu deliberately did any harm towards the Dalits, the state machinery becomes ineffective. No one is ready to file a case against the upper caste Hindus. Ambedkar was disappointed with the Hindu hierarchy based caste system. He envisaged that annihilation of caste is the only solution to give dignity to the Dalits. Ambedkar held: “It is not possible to break Caste without annihilating the religious notions on which it, the Caste system is founded.” Again, Ambedkar failed to realize the dream of annihilating the caste system owing to the opposition of the mighty Hindus. Therefore, he thought to convert the religion. He thinks that the conversion of the religion is the only way to rescue the Dalit community. Finally, I have highlighted that what are the contributions of Ambedkar towards the upliftment and dignity of Untouchables. In this paper, I have concluded that the struggle will continue unless and until the mighty Hindu castes are ready to embrace the Dalits into the Hindu fold and treat them on par with them. The concept of Human Dignity plays a pivotal role in Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s philosophy. Human Dignity means one is entitled to have respect by virtue of human nature. Since the Dalits have been dominated by the upper caste Hindus for the centuries, Ambedkar has given his heart and soul for the upliftment and dignity of the Dalits. The ‘Untouchables’ have to face a lot of social, economic and educational discrimination on account of their birth status. They have neither self-respect nor self-dignity. They are treated as slaves and worse than the beasts. I have tried to highlight how Ambedkar struggled with the upper caste Hindus for the basic and fundamental rights of the Dalits. And what he did in order to have self-respect and dignity for the Dalits? This paper also raises the very pertinent questions regarding the relationship between the Hindus and the Untouchables. Why has Untouchability not vanished? Why does the Hindu regard 8 lawlessness against the Untouchables as legitimate and lawful? Why does the Hindu feel no qualms of conscience in his dealings with the Untouchables? What the Untouchables have to face? The ‘Untouchables’ have to face a lot of social, economic and educational discrimination on account of their birth status. Whenever an upper caste Hindu deliberately did any harm towards the Dalits, the state machinery becomes ineffective. No one is ready to file a case against the upper caste Hindus. If an Untouchable goes to a police officer with a complaint against the upper caste Hindu, instead of receiving any protection he will receive plenty of abuses. Either he will be driven away without his complaint being recorded or if it is recorded, it would be recorded quite falsely to provide a way of escape to the Touchable aggressors. If he prosecutes his offenders before a Magistrate the fate of his proceedings could be foretold. The Untouchables will never be able to get Hindus as witnesses because of the conspiracy of the villagers not to support the case of the Untouchables, however just it may be. If he brings witnesses from the Untouchables, the Magistrate will not accept their testimony because he can easily say that they are interested and not independent witnesses, or if they are independent witnesses the Magistrate has an easy way of acquitting the accused by simply saying that the Untouchables compliment did not strike him as a truthful witness. He can do this fearlessly knowing full well that the higher tribunal will not reverse his findings because of the well-established rule which says that an appellate court should not disturb the finding of the trial Magistrate based upon the testimony of witness whose demeanour he had no opportunity to observe: Even Congressmen have practiced such a kind of discrimination. The annual Report of the Tamil Nadu Harijan Sevak Sangh for the year ending 30th September 1937 says:1 “The political consciousness of the Harijans having been roused by the rights in the remotest villages where it is only the policeman that reign, it is not always possible for the Harijan to do this, for the assertion of his rights means a clash between him and the castemen, in which it is always the latter that have the upper hand. The natural consequences of this scuffle are a complaint either to the police or the Magistrate. The latter course is beyond the means of a Harijan while the former resort is worse than useless. The complaints are in many cases not inquired into at all, while in others a verdict favourable to the castemen is entered. Our complaints to the Police also meet with similar fate. The trouble seems to us to be that there is no change in the 9 mentality of the lower policeman. Either he is unaware of the rights of the Harijans of which he is supposed to be the guardian or he is influenced by caste men. Or, it may also be that he is absolutely indifferent. In other cases, corruption is responsible for his taking the side of the richer castemen.” This shows how the Hindu official is anti-Untouchable and Pro-Hindu. Whenever he has any authority or discretion, it is always exercised to the prejudice of the Untouchables. The police and the Magistrate are sometimes corrupt. If they were only corrupt, things would not perhaps be so bad because an officer who is corrupt is open to purchase by either party. But the misfortune is that the Police and Magistrates are often more partial than corrupt. It is this partiality to the Hindus and his antipathy to the Untouchables, which results in the denial of protection, and justice to the Untouchables. There is no cure for this partiality to the one and antipathy to the other, because it is found in the social and religious repugnance, which is inborn in every Hindu. The Police and the Magistrates by reason of their motives, interest and their breeding, do not sympathise with the living force operating among the Untouchables. They are not charged with the wants, the pains, the craving and the desires, which actuate the Untouchables. Consequently, they are openly hostile and inimical to their aspirations, do not help them to advance, disfavour their cause and snap at everything that smacks of pride and self-respect. On the other hand, they share the feelings of the Hindus, sympathise with them in the attempt to maintain their power, authority, prestige and their dignity over the Untouchables. In any conflict between the two, they act as the agents of the Hindus in suppressing this revolt of the Untouchables and participate quite openly and shamefacedly in the nefarious attempt of all Hindus to do everything possible by all means, fair or foul, to teach the Untouchables a lesson and hold them down in their own places.2 The worst of it is that all this injustice and persecution can be perpetrated within the limits of the law. A Hindu may well say that he will not employ an Untouchable, that he will not sell him anything, that he will evict him from his land, that he will not allow him to his cattle across his field without offending the law in the slightest degree. In doing so, he is only expressing his right. The law does not care with what motive he does it. The law does not see what injury it causes to the Untouchable. The police may misuse his power and his authority. He may disclose evidence to the side in which he is interested. He may refuse to arrest. He may do a hundred and one things to spoil the case. All this he can do without the 10