Ambedkar may be considered the true exponent of Dalit empowerment in India. It is in the sense that if other social reformers like Jyotiba Phule fought for social equality and awareness, Ambedkar moved one step ahead- striving for giving powers to Dalit through legal and constitutional means. After receiving extensive education in economics and law, he came to the conclusion that the path to the Dalit empowerment goes through the mantra of Educate, Agitate and Organize. This is what he did for Dalit empowerment in India since the early 1920s till his death in 1956.
For education and creating awareness among Dalits, Ambedkar started newspapers like the ‘Mooknayak’, ‘Bahiskrit Bharat’ and ‘Janata’. Similarly, for the mobilization of Dalits, he organized many social struggles like Mahad Tank Satyagrah, 1927, Temple Entry Movements, 1930, effort to reform the Mahar Watan System, 1928 and founded Social organizations like Bahiskrit Hikarini Sabha and the All India Depressed Classes Association in 1930 with the same objective. His interpretation of origin of Shudras and untouchability in his books,’ Who Are Shudras?’ Annihilation of Caste, and ‘The Untouchability’ goes a long way to generate the feeling of self-respect among Dalits.
For the political organization and political mainstreaming of Dalits, he pleaded for their representation in legislatures in the Round Table Conferences (1930-32), convened by the British government, which resulted in the announcement of Communal Award by the government for the first time in 1932 in favour of Dalit community. This was for the first time that the Dalits were given reservation in the representative institutions of India. Gandhi supported the reservation for Dalits but opposed separate electorate for them. Finally, Ambedkar entered an agreement with Gandhi in 1932 to ensure their legislative representation within the system of joint electorates. This agreement is known as Poona Pact.
For the political organization of Dalits, he founded the Independent Labor Party in 1937 and replaced it with another political party, the All India Scheduled Caste Federation, which was founded in 1942. He also laid the foundation of another political party, Republican Party of India (RPI), which was founded in 1957 after his death in 1956 by his followers. He proposed a training school for the traing of future members of the Republican party of India, but it could not be materialized due to his death in December, 1956.The RPI, mainly active in Maharastra, advanced the agenda of Dalit empowerment in 1950s and 1960s. Even, the formation of Dalit Panther Party in 1970 and the Bahujan Samaj Party in 1984 owe their ideological genesis to Ambedkar.
Ambedkar was instrumental in institutionalizing the empowerment process within the constitution and political system of India in the post-independence period. He played a leading role in the drafting of the Constitution of India and due to his pleadings, many provisions including the reservation for Dalits in services and legislatures have been incorporated in the Constitution. These provisions have proved catalytic in the empowerment of Dalit Community. Without this political core, Dalit agenda will be bereft of real substance and spirit.
Summery of Main ideas of Ambedkar
First, Ambedkar was convinced that the caste system and its base Hinduism are not only repressive in nature but they systemically deny the principles of liberty, equality and fraternity, which are the three fundamental bases of modern democratic society. They generate and sustain a fragmented society, which is dangerous to national unity and integration. The Indian caste system, the marginalization and deprivation of Dalits is so pervasive and complete that they do not have any future, whatsoever, under the present form of this system. The caste system is so deep rooted and well entrenched and sanctioned by Brahmincal religion that any amount of reform will not end the plight of Dalits. Here he differed with Gandhi. The only viable solution lies in the complete annihilation of caste system or to move away from the fold of Hinduism. Finally, he failed to achieve the first and hence opted for the latter, as he along with followers embraced Buddhism in October 1956.
Second, the parliamentary form of democracy is the best form of the government, but political democracy cannot succeed without realization of social and economic equality. That is why he was the chief exponent of social democracy in India. For him, social democracy is the way of life which recognizes liberty, equality and fraternity as the principles of life. Thus, they form unity of trinity, to separate one from the other is to defeat the very purpose of democracy. It is this principle which gives unity and solidarity to social life. Like a true democrat he had deep faith in the viability of peaceful methods. The substance of Ambedkar’s political thinking is contained in two of his statements- rights are protected not by law, but by social and moral conscience of the society; and a democratic form of government presupposes the democratic form of society.
Third, the process of social change involves four elements- the internal change ( slave’s rejection of slavery), social struggle, political dialogue and political organizing. Without access to political power the social change cannot reach to its logical conclusion. The inclusion of political elements in the process of social change is the most singular contribution of Ambedkar to the process of Dalit empowerment in India. In order to keep the process of social change in the right track, he was convinced that the leadership of such change should be in the hands of Dalits only.
Fourth, he advocated self-respect and education among Dalits for their internal transformation, State Socialism for economic change, formation of political groups for political changes and espousal of Buddhism for cultural regeneration of Dalit community. For him, Buddhism incorporates three important principles of equality, liberty and fraternity. It does not realize one principle (equality) at the cost of another principle (liberty) as is the case with Marxism, but it establishes perfect harmony among them. He concluded that the Buddhist resistance to Hinduism was revolutionary in nature, whereas reaction of Hinduism was counter -revolutionary in character. The untouchables are the carriers of Buddhist liberation. He offered a deep analysis of the nature of Buddhism in his famous book, ‘The Buddha and His Dharma’.
Fifth, Ambedkar gave priority to social problems in comparison to political freedom and issues. During his presidential address to the All India Depressed Classes Congress at Nagpur on 8 August, 1930, Ambedkar remarked, ‘We are told that the settlement of social problems should wait till the political freedom of the country is achieved. A wise man will not fall with this line of thought. Everyone of us also knows or ought to know those in possession of power seldom abdicate in favour of those who are out of it’. If social equality is not achieved, the political freedom will be the freedom of powerful only.
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