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| Many Firsts to the Credit of Bharat Ratana Baba Sahib Dr B.R Ambedkar | | | Er. Er. H. R. Phonsa
It is said that some are born great others are made great and still others become great by surmounting hurdles in their paths by themselves. An other philosopher said that some people read history, some teach history, some people make history and a few become history. As per both these statements Dr.Ambedkar fell in the last category of people who become history by surmounting hurdles in his way. There was not even a singly favourable hurdle free step in his life. There was not even a single act of his life which he earned through favour or courtesy of others. All throughout his life he had to row against the currents. He was born in rags and died with rupees Forty thousand debt, bore loincloth in school , sat alone on the corner of classroom floor, remained thirsty for hours , hated as untouchable by his students, teachers, classmates, follow politicians including his office Brahmin peon. He slept on floor; lived night through on single loaf of bread, still was first to reach the entry gate of London Museum and last to leave it. He was termed as poor man's lawyer, he was called traitor by his opponents for his caring to those to whom even God never cared, he over worked at the cost of his life and comforts of his family. He lost his poise and caring wife and four children ( Three sons Romesh,Gangadhar,Rajratana and one daughter named Indu) for want of money to buy medicines. On the death of his loving son his wife had to tear out a part of her sari to cover the dead child before giving burial. But he never deviated from the set goal of giving honouablr life conditions to his people whom he loved even dearly to his life.They too stood by his in thick and thin. He often said he was born to safe guard interests of untouchable and he was prepared to offer any sacrifice. He remained awake even during nights to see that their interests were not sabotaged. He never acted against the interests of his country. He said in clear terms in Bombay Legislative Council as its member in 1927 "Whenever there is a conflict between my personnel interests and the interests of country as a whole, I have always placed the claims of the country above my personnel claims --- when there is a conflict in interests between country and the Untouchables, the untouchable's interests will take precedence over the interests of the country". In another statement he said that he was Indian in the beginning, in the middle and in the end. He said he was not like those who are the Hindu, the Muslim, the Sikh, the Christian and alike first then Indian. Against all odds he did what he thought fit for his peoples and country. He struck to words and fulfilled promises with his people. When Dr. Ambedkar was convinced that Hindus shall never accommodate the human rights of Depressed classes people except using them for their numbers and unpaid services then he declared in 1935 that he shall not die as a Hindu and he full filled this promise in 1956 only 52 days before his death. He was opponent to religious superstitions and rigidity. He was against none but suppression, hate and denial of political, social, educational and economic rights of Dalits. He was Mahar Dalit but adopted his surname "Ambedkar" from his soft hearted Brahmin teacher and he re- married Dr. Sharda Kabir a Maharashtrian Brahmin Saraswati bride. Some of good friends and collegues and teachers were from higher castes,so he enjoyed confidence of all those who stood for welfare of humanity . Had he not born at the right hour of history, the present history of poor, women, unprivileged, hated Dalit untouchables and working class people would have been completely different with their slavery chains intact and the Constitutional rights for millions would have been buried deep in the free Indian soil. Whatever he did during his life he did with conviction, whatever he spoke or did, it was historic truth backed by deep studied. He remained loyal to his people and his country, the Bharat. He never said a word against any religion, but challenged religion based inhuman norms, " isms" in them of hate to wards humanity more so their own religious fellows, who did not toe their wrong convictions. He was Masiha or saviour of poor, deprived, hated and neglected humanity. He was the only highest qualified academician, who entered the Indian politics. Politicians of his times proved dwarfs to his qualifications, qualities, character, labour and steadfastness to commitments. Despite all odds Bharat Ratana Baba Sahib Bhimrao Ambedkar was credited with such unique qualities that whatever field he touched, he left on it indelible marks of his scholarly intellect. He was born on 14th April,1891 in a poor Dalit Mahar family carrying history of military service. Bhimrao Ambedkar's grandfather Maloji Sakhpal was a Havaldar in the British Army and his father Ramji Sakhpal was Subedar Major in Bombay Army of the East India Company. Dr. Ambedkar too joined service as the Military Secretary to the Maharaja of Baroda, who had granted scholarship to Bhim for his higher studies abroad. Later Dr. Ambedkar was to be appointed as Finance Minister of the Baroda state but the unbearable caste based hate and prejudices forced him to soon resign. He never compromised with his self honour and honour of his people. He preached to his fellowmen to live with dignity keeping spine erect.
Dr .Ambedkar was the first in his community to pass Matriculation Examination in 1907 .He was first Dalit to get education in foreign lands in one of most prestigious world Universities like Columbia University USA, London School Of Economics U.K, Bonn University in Germany, Bar at the Gray's Inn. He was rare of rarest Indian who obtained M.A; PhD ; DSc.; Barrister -at- Law; LL.D; D. Litt and many more Honorary Degrees from many foreign Universities. It is also a hard fact that despite being a world class supper human, he was not given any befitting honour by his Alma Mater the University Of Bombay during his life times. He was a reputed scholar in Economics, Political Sciences, Law, Constitutional Law, Anthropology, and Religion Philosophy. He was a great teacher also, backed by his deep studies of the subjects he taught. Perhaps he was first among Dalits to be appointed professor ( June 1928 to March 1929) and to occupy the chair of the Principal of the Government Law College Bombay( Now Mumbai) affiliated to Bombay University June 1,1935 to May 1938 where he was hated during his studies.
Dr. Ambedkar observed that the journalism which was a earlier a profession had turned into a business exploitation in the hands of capitalists. Dr Ambedkar sensed the need of a news paper of his own and said a leader without a news paper was like a bird without wings. He was perhaps the first Dalit to enter the world of journalism when launched on the Mook Nayak ( Leader of dumb) on January 31st,1920 ,on 3rd April,1927 the Bahiskrit Bharat( Excluded India), the Samta( Equality) the Janta ( People) on 24th November,1930,The Prubh Bharat( Awakened Bharat ). His writings in these news papers spread his message very quickly among the Depressed masses. He stated his news papers much earlier than Mahatama Ganfdhi's the Harijan, started in Feburary 1933.
Baba Sahib Dr. Ambedkar was first Dalit to be awarded Bharat Ratana in 1990 posthumously after a lapse of 34 years after his death. This shows apathy of the ruling parties towards their National celebrities.
Hardly anybody could imagine that a Mahar Subedar Major's 14th child Bhiva ( Bhimrao's first name) could one day divert the world attention towards the deplorable condition of Indian Untouchable millions, seeking constitutional rights for them in Round Table conferences called by the mighty British Crown's Government in their heartland . Dr. Ambedkar was one of the two Untouchables who were first to be nominated to represent the slaves to the British Indian Slaves. Dr. Ambedkar's courage , convections backed by world's highest degrees forced the British Crown's Government along with Indian monarchs, politicians to listen the woes of half feed, half naked, illiterates socially lowest of the low through their own representative who had studied world history in foreign lands. He also warned the British to leave India soon as they have failed to make any improvement in the, social, religious, political, political, educations and economic conditions of poor particularly untouchable millions during their rule. In the three Round Table conference in London Dr. Ambedkar's narrations were so logical and force full that all eye brows were raised to listen the plight of those who had never been represented before, in history in any such official forum. About his narrations news items were carried by news papers world over with editorials written in praise of the new found leaders of Indian untouchables. Not only Dr. Ambedkar's views were highly acclaimed in all world spheres but they brought dividends for Untouchable in the future governments Of India. The problems of untouchable were brought on world forum for finding their solutions speedily. This way the British were made to realise their folly.
The British were made to find space for Indian untouchable in the future government. To give political representation to untouchables Simon Commission was established. Dr. Ambedkar's plea before Simon Commission with other organisations and leaders of Depressed classes was so forceful that the British India government announced Communal Award outlining the method of reserving seats in representative bodies with a right of duel votes to untouchables to use in the future election. This established the existence of untouchables as a definite and separate identity and equal stake holders in the future constitution.
On this Mahatama Gandhi backed by Hindu reactionary forces under took fast unto death in Yarwada Jail Poona ( Now Pune). Mahatama Gandhi was against granting any political rights to untouchables,saying theirs was a social problems to be solved with the frame work of Hindu Verna system. The Poona pact was signed by Dr. Ambedkar under duress to save Gandhi's life but standing on equal pedestal with those who had denied evening touch shadow of untouchable but to talk of human rights to them for centuries. Reservation in the provincial and central legislatures, appointments in public services and local bodies with removal of disabilities of the depressed classes were the direct result of the Poona Pact. Denial of double election and duel voting as per Communal Award or separate electorates, gave a chance to upper caste political body heads to select dummy candidates from scheduled castes and scheduled Tribes to contest the reserved seats and be a party to denial of Constitutional Rights to the Dalit communities.
Dr. Ambedkar himself a great lover of books and himself a writer with millions of readership was the first to burn the Hindu Code book " Manusmiriti" as Manu, its writer claimed it contain laws with Divine sanction. To Dr. Ambedkar it was devised to give sanctions of inhuman suppression of untouchables and women. He was also first in the history of caste struggle to sip water of Choudar Tank ( Water Tank) by organising Satyagraha. Taking water from Choudar Tank was banned from centuries for the untouchable Hindus. He was hurt gravely in the melee but did not lose heart to fight law suit instituted against him and his followers. It took ten years to win the law suit. To register untouchable's just right to worship in Hindu temples, he organised on 2nd March,1930 with his follow men and women Kalaram Temple entry struggle, and carried it for five long years. But still superstitious Hindus did not allow the Untouchable to enter their temples. Even now in free India, in many temples entry for Untouchables is banned.
Dr. Ambedkar claimed Mahatama jyotirao Phule as his political guru. When Phule was convinced that illiteracy was main reason of untouchable slavery he opened 18 schools in and around 1848 some excursively for girl students. Dr. Ambedkar followed suit and founded People's Education Society on 8th July, 1945 based on five principles namely the ideal of knowledge, the ideals of compassion, the ideal of democracy, the ideal of equality and the ideal of justice. The primary aim of this society is to promote higher education among the poorer people in general and Buddhists Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and other backward Classes in particular. The Peoples Education Society founded "The Milind College, Aurangabad Maharashtra" a most backward area of Maharashtra state. Its foundation was laid by Dr. Ambedkar on 9th July,1953. The People's Education Society is now manning a large chain of quality educational Institutions giving employment to thousands of youth.
A few more fields where Dr Ambedkar was also first in his achievements.
1. To challenge discriminatory rules and systems like a Khoti System, Mahar Vatan, bonded labour, unequal wages to women workers, long hours of labour in factories or houses on nominal wages, non existence of maternity leave for women workers, non entry of depressed classes students into government funded education institutions, non employment of depressed class persons in higher posts in government services, non payment for over time in factories.
2. To advocate of nationalisation of agriculture, land to be vested in government, paid maternity leave, political rights to depressed classes people, paid over time in offices and factories at the double rate of normal wages, no religious interference in government affairs and such other government progressive measures.
3. To launch a political party ( I L P) of Dalits for the Dalits and by Dalits.He won 17 seats in 1937 Provincial Elections including 3 from general constituencies.
4. To be appointed as Member of Viceroy's Executive council as Labour, Employment,CPWD Minister from among Dalits.
5. To earn honour to be Chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee to draft Constitution for free India from Depressed classes.
6. First union Minister in the world history who resigned when his drafted Bill, here Hindu Code Bill for rights of women was not passed by parliament due to caste and sex prejudices.
7. He was first in history of Bombay on whose death Bombay witnessed largest funeral procession and where over five lacs embraced Buddhism in one go.
Baba Sahib Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Ambedkar was a rare jewel and earned uncountable first in his life and after. Many surveys have been carried world over after Baba Sahib's death which selected him as first among many world personalities.
In Dr.Ambedkar " A great man is different from an eminent one in that he is ready to be the servant of the society". He himself quailed this defination
Author can be reached by
[email protected]/[email protected]
M-09419134060 |
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