Born into a Mahar family in Mhow, 1981, Dr. Ambedkar was no stranger to caste based discrimination from an early age. From being denied drinking water in school to being denied accommodation in Baroda state when he returned from the US, he was conscious of unfounded discrimination against the ‘untouchable’ castes even as a child and young adult. Dr. Ambedkar achieved great heights despite several social and
financial hurdles.
A great thinker, writer, jurist, economist, and a revolutionary leader, Dr. Ambedkar theorized caste and waged war against a Brahmanical social set contributions were not limited to caste struggles alone. His conception of a democratic India extended political democracy to a democratic society. During his in the constituent assembly on adoption of the constitution, he said, “We must make our political democracy a social democracy as well. Political democracy cannot last unless there lies at the base of it social democracy.” He emphasized on the principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity as core values for a social democracy.
India in itself is a nation hounded by graded social and economical inequalities. With the political right appropriating Dr. Ambedkar and promoting the false notion of him being in favour of a Hindu rashtra, it is crucial to go back to his original works and stand against this saffronisation of Dr. Ambedkar. Dr. Ambedkar was a strong proponent of a democratic nation and society and a vociferous critic of Hinduism.
This April, we reproduce for you Dr. Ambedkar’s Riddle 22 from his Riddles in . In this critique, he analyses the idea of democracy in conjunction with certain thoughts in Hindu philosophies.
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In Solidarity,
Team NCAS
