dr bhimrao ambedkar

Frequent violent clashes between Buddhist groups and orthodox Hindus have occurred over the years. When in 1994 a garland of shoes was hung around a statue of Ambedkar in Mumbai, sectarian violence and strikes paralyzed the city for over a week. When the following year similar disturbances occurred, a statue of Ambedkar was destroyed. Upper caste groups in Tamil Nadu have also engaged in violence against Buddhists. In addition, some Buddhists who converted to Buddhism have rioted against Hindus (such as the 2006 Dalit protests in Maharashtra) and desecrated Hindu temples, often incited into doing so by anti Hindu elements and replacing deities with pictures of Ambedkar. The radical Ambedkarite Buddhist Panthers Movement has even gone so far as to attempt to assassinate academics who have been critical of Ambedkars understanding of Buddhism.

This section may contain original research or unverified claims.Please improve the article by adding references. See the talk page for details. (September 2007)Ambedkars legacy as a socio political reformer, had a deep effect on modern India. In post Independence India his socio political thought has acquired respect across the political spectrum. His initiatives have influenced various spheres of life and transformed the way India today looks at socio economic policies, education and affirmative action through socio economic and legal incentives. His reputation as a scholar led to his appointment as free Indias first law minister, and chairman of the committee responsible to draft a constitution. He passionately believed in the freedom of the individual and criticised equally both orthodox casteist Hindu society, as well as exclusivism and narrow doctrinaire positions in Islam. His polemical condemnation of Hinduism and attacks on Islam made him unpopular and controversial, although his conversion to Buddhism sparked a revival in interest in Buddhist philosophy in India.

Ambedkars political philosophy has given rise to a large number of Dalit political parties, publications and workers unions that remain active across India, especially in Maharashtra. His promotion of the Dalit Buddhist movement has rejuvenated interest in Buddhist philosophy in many parts of India. Mass conversion ceremonies have been organized by Dalit activists in modern times, emulating Ambedkars Nagpur ceremony of 1956.Some scholars, including some from the affected castes, took the view that the British were more even handed between castes, and that continuance of British rule would have helped to eradicate many evil practices. This political opinion was shared by quite a number of social activists including Jyotirao Phule.Narayan Rao Kajrolkar criticized Ambedkar because he believed that he was biased to spend government on his own caste, the Mahar, rather than divide the funds equally among others such as the Chambars and the Mangs.[10] Sitaram Narayan Shivtarkar criticised him on the same account at the Chambar conference held at Khond at the Ratnagiri District on 27 October, 1937.The First Chambar Conference at Ratnagiri on December 1937, chaired by S. G. Songaonkar, echoed this yet again.

Ambedkar was a fierce critic of Mahatma Gandhi (and the Indian National Congress). He was criticized by his contemporaries and modern scholars for this opposition to Gandhi, who had been one of the first Indian leaders to call for the abolition of untouchability and discrimination.Gandhi had a more positive, arguably romanticised view of traditional village life in India and a sentimental approach to the untouchables, calling them Harijan (children of God) and saying he was of them. Ambedkar rejected the epithet Harijan as condescending. He tended to encourage his followers to leave their home villages, move to the cities, and get an education.

As Ambedkar was educated by the Princely State of Baroda, he was bound to serve it. He was appointed as Military Secretary to the Gaikwad but had to quit within a short time. He described the incident in his autobiography, Waiting for a Visa. Thereafter he tried to find ways to make a living for his growing family. He worked as a private tutor, as an accountant, and established an investment consulting business, but it failed when his clients learned that he was an untouchable.In 1918 he became Professor of Political Economy in the Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics in Mumbai. Even though he was successful with the students, other professors objected to his sharing the same drinking water jug that they all used.Ambedkar had been invited to testify before the Southborough Committee, which was preparing the Government of India Act 1919. At this hearing, Ambedkar argued for creating separate electorates and reservations for untouchables and other religious communities.In 1920, he began the publication of the weekly Mooknayak (Leader of the Silent) in Mumbai with the help of Shahaji II (1874 1922), Maharaja of Kolhapur.

Ambedkar went on to work as a legal professional. In 1926 he successfully defended three non Brahmin leaders who had accused the Brahmin community of ruining India and were then subsequently sued for libel. Dhananjay Keer notes that The victory was resounding, both socially and individually, for the clients and the Doctor.

While practicing law in the Bombay High Court, he tried to uplift the untouchables in order to educate them. His first organised attempt to achieve this was the Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha, which was intended to promote education and socio economic improvement, as well as the welfare of outcastes, at the time referred to as depressed classes. For the protection of Dalit rights he started many periodicals like Mook Nayak, Bahishkrit Bharat, and Equality Janta.He was appointed to the Bombay Presidency Committee to work with the all European Simon Commission in 1925. This commission had sparked great protests across India, and while its report was ignored by most Indians, Ambedkar himself wrote a separate set of recommendations for the future Constitution of India.

By 1927 Ambedkar decided to launch active movements against untouchability. He began with public movements and marches to open up and share public drinking water resources. He also began a struggle for the right to enter Hindu temples. He led a satyagraha in Mahad to fight for the right of the untouchable community to draw water from the main water tank of the town.In a conference in late 1927, Ambedkar public condemned the classic Hindu text, the Manusmrti (Laws of Manu), for ideologically justifying the system of caste discrimination and

Upon Indias Transfer of Power by British Government to leaders of High Cast on 15 August 1947, the new Congress led government invited Ambedkar to serve as the nations first Law Minister, which he accepted. On 29 August, he was appointed Chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee, charged by the Assembly to write Indias new Constitution.Granville Austin has described the Indian Constitution drafted by Ambedkar as first and foremost a social document. The majority of Indias constitutional provisions are either directly arrived at furthering the aim of social revolution or attempt to foster this revolution by establishing conditions necessary for its achievement.

The text prepared by Ambedkar provided constitutional guarantees and protections for a wide range of civil liberties for individual citizens, including freedom of religion, the abolition of untouchability and the outlawing of all forms of discrimination. Ambedkar argued for extensive economic and social rights for women, and also won the Assemblys support for introducing a system of reservations of jobs in the civil services, schools and colleges for members of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and Other Backward Class, a system akin to affirmative action. Indias lawmakers hoped to eradicate the socio economic inequalities and lack of opportunities for Indias depressed classes through these measures.The Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949 by the Constituent Assembly.

Ambedkar resigned from the cabinet in 1951 following the stalling in parliament of his draft of the Hindu Code Bill, which sought to expound gender equality in the laws of inheritance and marriage. Ambedkar independently contested an election in 1952 to the lower house of parliament, the Lok Sabha, but was defeated in the Bombay (North Central) constituency by a little known Narayan Sadoba Kajrolkar, who polled 138137 votes compared to Ambedkars 123576 votes. He was appointed to the upper house, of parliament, the Rajya Sabha in March 1952 and would remain as member till death.

Ambedkar opposed Article 370 in the Constitution, which gives a special status to the State of Jammu and Kashmir, and it was put against his wishes. Balraj Madhok reportedly said, Ambedkar had clearly told Sk. Abdullah You wish India should protect your borders, she should build roads in your area, she should supply you food grains, and Kashmir should get equal status as India. But Government of India should have only limited powers and Indian people should have no rights in Kashmir. To give consent to this proposal, would be a treacherous thing against the interests of India and I, as the Law Minister of India, will never do it. Then Sk. Abdullah went to Nehru, who directed him to Gopal Swami Ayyangar, who approached Sardar Patel asking him to do something as it was a matter of prestige of Nehru, who has promised Sk. Abdullah accordingly. Patel got it passed when Nehru was on foreign tour. On the day this article came up for discussion, Ambedkar did not reply to questions on it though he did participate on other articles. All arguments were done by Krishna Swami Ayyangar.

Ambedkar was the first Indian to pursue Economics doctorate degree abroad. According to him the industrialization and agricultural industry growth could enhance the economy of the nation.He stressed on money investment in the agricultural industry as the primary industry of India.Accoding to Sharad Pawar, Ambedkars vision benefited the government in accomplishing the food security goal. He supported economic and social development of the society for nations progress. He also emphasised on education, public hygiene, community health, residential facilities as the basic amenities. His DSc thesis The problems of Ruppee, its origin and solution (1923) reveals the factors responsible for Rupee fall. He proved the importance of price stability than exchange stability. He analysed the silver and gold rate exchange and its effect on Indian economy. He found out the reasons for the failure of British Indian economys public treasury.He found the loss made by British rule on Indian development.

He is creditworthy to establish Finance Commission of India. He did not support the income tax policy for the lower income group community. He contributed in Land Revenue Tax and excise duty policies to stabilize Indian economy. He played an important role in the land reform and the state economic development. According to him, the caste system divided labours and it was one of the hurdles for the economic progress. He emphasised on free economy with stable rupee which India has adopted recently. He advocated the birth control rate to develop the Indian economy. This policy has been adopted by Indian government as national policy for family planning. He emphasised on equal rights to women for economic development. He laid the foundation of industrial relations after Indian independence.

Ambedkars first wife had died in 1935 following long illness. After the completion of the drafting of Indias constitution in late 1940s, Ambedkar went to Bombay for treatment. He was suffering from lack of sleep, had neurotic pain in his legs and was taking both insulin and homeopathic medicines. There he met Dr. Sharada Kabir, a Saraswat Brahmin, whom he married on 15 April 1948, at his home in New Delhi. Doctors recommended that he needed a companion who was both a good cook and a possessor of medical knowledge and could thus take care of him.She adopted the name Savita Ambedkar and took care of him for the rest of his life.

Ambedkars legacy as a socio political reformer, had a deep effect on modern India. In post Independence India his socio political thought has acquired respect across the political spectrum. His initiatives have influenced various spheres of life and transformed the way India today looks at socio economic policies, education and affirmative action through socio economic and legal incentives. His reputation as a scholar led to his appointment as free Indias first law minister, and chairman of the committee responsible to draft a constitution. He passionately believed in the freedom of the individual and criticized equally both caste society. His allegation of Hinduism foundation of caste system, made him controversial and unpopular among the Hindu community.His conversion to Buddhism sparked a revival in interest in Buddhist philosophy in India and abroad.