The Bits and Pieces – As I Please – 5

 

The Bits and Pieces – As I Please – 5

Memory Failed Me – Old Age Impact – Last week I wrote a blog on Indian diplomats in politics which may be accessed at:https://diplomatictitbits.blogspot.com/2025/07/diplomats-donning-robes-of-politicians.html

I missed out a couple of important personalities without any rhyme and reason. The only answer, to my mind, is that advancing age takes its tool. My senior colleague and my immediate boss in Peking (Beijing) in late 1970s, Ambassador Avinash Gupta was kind enough to point out these inadvertent omissions (later one of good friends, Sat Paul Ahir, a retired IRS also observed these slips) – Romesh Bhandari, a flamboyant but easy going diplomat who was called
‘Sheikh Bhandri’ because of his excellent rapport with the Sheikhs of the Middle East was the Foreign Secretary in late 1980s. Being the professed foster son of Krishna Menon, Bhandhari Sahib enjoyed good connection with Nehru/Gandhi clan and as such, after retirement, he became the Lt. Governor of Delhi and later Governor of UP. Secondly, M. H. Ansari, popularly known as Hamid Ansari was my boss as the COP in early 1980s. He was honoured with

Padam Shri after the NAM Submit and rose to become Vice President of India in early 2010s. I have had opportunities to work and interact with him for very important assignments and events. The best quality of Hamid Ansari which impressed me was that he never made me feel small in his presence, a loving fatherly figure. I thought of undoing my memory failure by adding this narration. Thanks Ambassador Avinash Gupta and my fellow Jalandhrite and a close family friend, IRS Sat Paul Ahir, Former Income Tax Commissioner of Uttrakhand.

Lahori Ram Balley –

Lahori Ram Balley was a son of the soil and a leader by his own right who passed away on July 6, 2023 remained a public figure of Jalandhar and beyond to reckon with. His 95^th birth anniversary was observed at a solemn function at Ambedkar Bhawan on July 20 hosted by the proud family of Balley Sahib. From the
remarks of the invited speakers, it came out clearly, as expected and deserved, that Balley Sahib earned his due status and respect in the community and the society at large by his sheer work and dedication to the mission and thought of Babasaheb Ambedkar as an intellectual – Thinker, Editor, Writer and Orator and also Politician to contend with. Balley Sahib was one of the founding fathers of Ambedkar Bhawan, a nerve center of dalit awakening in the region. He wrote more than 100 books on Babasaheb Ambedkar, his thought and legacy and also relevant subjects of concern and interest to the community and the country, besides many small fliers and small pamphlets on various issues of topical and current subjects. He distributed these at cost effective costs or even free among the public and contributed immensely in generating much needed awareness to stand and fight for Equality, Justice, Liberty and Fraternity in the country as stipulated in the Constitution of India. Balley Sahib was a much sought after speaker at political rallies of the opposition parties in and around Jalandhar as a tall leader of All India Scheduled Caste Federation and later Republican Party of India, the political outfits floated by Babasaheb Ambedkar. He was instrumental in establishing Ambedkar Bhawans and Buddha Viharas at various places in Punjab and beyond. Though Balley Sahib, as he himself professed, was an atheist yet he embraced Buddhism following his master, Babasaheb Ambedkar. Dr. Gian Kaul speaking at the birthday function clarified the notion that being a Buddhist he was against the dalit spiritual icons namely Guru Ravidass, Bhagwan Balmik, Satguru Kabir among others and said that Balley Sahib was not dogmatic but pragmatic in his approach. He always stood with the Deras and the Sants whenever and

wherever the issues pertaining to the rights of and justice to the marginalized segments came up. His politics was people centric and not ideological for the heck of it. In my brief remarks, I recalled the healthy influence of Balley Sahib’s writings in the Bheem Patrika and his public speeches and also his pleasant demeanor including impressive dress sense with Lenin cap and Fidel Castro waist coat on my own development in my formative years in Bootan Mandi, the Karam Bhoomi of Balley Sahib in Jalandhar in his early years of public life. As such, Balley Sahib was a much respected and revered personality – Badi Muskil Se Hota Hai Chaman Mein Didawar Paida.

With a view to pay a befitting tribute to Balley Sahib, Charan Sandhu, an ardent follower and aide of his, released a song track ‘Kaumi Jodha’ emotionally written by Charan Sandhu and beautifully sung by Sunny Saleem was formally released at the

function. The hosts, Balley family, gift a new book of Balley Sahib,‘Dr. Ambedkar De Mahan Karaz’ to the audience.  The worthy family of Lahori Ram Balley led by Rahul, Anand and Baldev are fully dedicated and committed to carry the caravan of Balley Sahib forward for the larger interest the community and the society at large. I take this opportunity to wish them all the best in the days to come.

Kaun Kehta Hai Ki Maut Ai To Mar Jaunga?

Mein To Darya Hoon Hun Samandar Mein Utter Jaunga.

 

 

 

Diplomats donning the robes of Politicians

Diplomats donning the robes of Politicians

 My immediate motivation to write this came from the news that former diplomat and my colleague in the IFS fraternity, Harsh Vardhan Shringala has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the President of India, perhaps first such nomination to include a former career diplomat among the nominated members since independence.
At the dawn of independence, PM Jawaharlal Nehru did select and appoint some politicians and Princes of the States as Ambassadors and High Commissioners and also nominated some of them to the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) which came into existence on October 9, 1946. After the UPSC Examination, the first batch of IFS was selected and appointed in 1948. The Indian Foreign Service (IFS) is one of the three all India services one can aspire to if one crack the UPSC Civil Services Exam.  It is a prestigious service on par with the IAS in stature. As an IFS officer, one can serve in the various diplomatic missions that India has in other countries. One can even move up the ladder to become HOM –Ambassador/High Commission of the country. Notwithstanding the assessment made of the IFS by one of

its illustrious members, Ambassador Talmiz Ahmad in his review of a book on diplomats and foreign policy of Kallol Bhattacharya where he said, “Most Indians have either never heard of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) or have only the vaguest notion of what the service does. It does not have the name-recognition enjoyed by the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) or the Indian Police Service (IPS). Unlike earlier times, these days the IFS is not even the premier choice among those hundreds of thousands of candidates who annually knock at the doors of the UPSC to gain entry into India’s elite government services.”, After this reality check, I come to the theme of my blog; diplomats and Indian politics.

After the role and contribution of personalities like Vijay Lakshmi Pandit, Asaf Ali, Leilamani Naidu, in diplomacy in the early years of independence, I come, off the cuff, to IFS diplomats who made to politics and delivered in the process. The first diplomat, I understand,
was Manohar Lal Sondhi, my fellow Jalandharite, who resigned from the IFS on the issue of Nehru’s China policy in the early 1960s and became a member of the Lok Sabha on Jan Sangh ticket. Many of us may not remember that Syed Shahabudin, a maverick, also entered politics and became an MP from Bihar in 1980s. K.R. Naryanan, an intellectual face of the IFS, with whom I worked in Peking (Beijing)

Vidya Chander with Usha Narayanan in Peking

as a junior diplomat joined politics in the days of PM Indira Gandhi and got elected to Lok Sabha from Kerala, his home state. He became a Minister and later held the coveted positions of Vice President and President of India. Kunwar Natwar Singh, a scholar diplomat, followed suit and joined public service again under PM Indira Gandhi and worked in the coveted Ministerial positions even as EAM. The heading of this blog ‘As I Please’ is in fact has been borrowed from his columns which I read and relished in the near past. Next name which comes fore is of Meira Kumar, a sober but gracious daughter of Babu Jagjivan Ram. Meira Kumar made to Lok Sabha and became a Minister under PM Rajiv Gandhi and even rose to become Speaker of the Lok Sabha.

Another illustrious diplomat, Mani Shankar Aiyar who worked in PMO as a senior Aide to PM Rajiv Gandhi won the trust of his boss and became an MP and a Minister in the process. I always tended to read his informative and thought provoking columns in the media. Going down the line, Pavan Verma was elected to Rajya Sabha and served as an Advisor to CM Nitesh Kumar of Bihar and now, I understand, he has joined hands with the newly floated outfit called Jan Suraj Party of Prashant Kumar in Bihar. Yet another diplomat, Manoj Bharti who replaced me in Minsk (Belarus) as Ambassador in 2011, its seems, has jumped the bandwagon of Jan Suraj Party as I saw him sitting by the side of Prashant Kishore in a public event the other day. I also read somewhere that Madhu Bhaduri, a sober and gorgeous diplomat, also joined politics for some time and was one of the founding members of the AAP and later resigned. I also, as a novice, burnt my fingers and worked with AAP in Punjab for a year or so in 2016-17 and resigned as I found politics was not my cup of

tea. Harinder Singh Khalsa, son of a renowned politician of Punjab, Gopal Singh Khalsa in 1940s, resigned from IFS in the wake of Operation Blue Star at Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar and later joined politics. He was elected to Lok Sabha more than once and remained Chairman of the National Minority Commission of India. I also read that K. C. Singh, who also worked with President Giani Zail Singh in mid 1980s, also tried his hand at politics and floated a fledgling outfit in Chandigarh towards the end of 2020s but could not make much dent.. Azad Singh Toor joined public life under the banner of Congress Party and INLD of Haryana in 2020s but could not make any headway like K.C. Singh. It was also in the news that Sanjiv Arora whom I replaced in Prague in 2004 also jumped on the Congress Party bandwagon in 2024 but is yet to become vocal and visible. In the recent years, Hardeep Singh Puri and Dr. S. Jaishankar made their mark in the government of PM Narendra Modi and are holding coveted positions as Minister of Petroleum and Minister of External Affairs respectively. I have had opportunities to work with both of them during my diplomatic career, with Hardeep Puri in Sri Lanka

Vidya Chander with Kayko Jaishankar in Prague

and with EAM Jaishankar in Prague. As the shining stars of IFS, both of them did well in politics and are delivering with authority and competence. The latest entry into politics, before the nomination of Harsh Vardhan Shringla to Rajya Sabha, was that of Taranjit Singh Sandhu who immediately after his retirement as Ambassador of India to the USA was picked up by the BJP to contest Lok Sabha election from Amritsar in 1924 but he could not make it. I have opportunities to meet and interact with Taranjit Sandhu and his gracious wife, Reenat Sandhu, yet another diplomat, short in height but big in stature, in early 1980s when Taranjit was attached to EE Division of MEA where I was an Under Secretary. I am recounting this just from my memory as a student and practitioner of diplomacy since 1970

and might have missed some name by oversight.. With this I wish Harash Vardhan Shringla all the very best in his new avatar as a politician. I am confident he will do his best and deliver like his illustrious IFS colleagues who ventured to join politics. This piece may not be complete, if I don’t mention the names of some of the personalities who transformed themselves from diplomacy to public life - Mohd. Yunus, a trusted Aide of PM Indira Gandhi, P.N Haksar, an intellectual face of PMO during PM Indira Gandhi’s regime, Brajesh Mishra, J.N. Dixit who respectively served as National Security Advisors to PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and PM Manmohan Singh. Both Brajesh Mishra and Mani Dixit were men of caliber and jewels of IFS fraternity. The process is on would continue adding more feathers in the hat of IFS in the service of India that is Bharat.

Apna Mukkadar Aap Banate Hain Ehle-dil

Hum Who Nahin Jine Zamana Bana Gya

 

 

 

 

 

 

Narrow minded approach on University Curriculum

 

Narrow minded approach on University Curriculum  

In the recent past, the new education policy attracted adverse reactions as it allegedly attempted to change and rewrite history particularly with regard to Islamic or Mughal role and contribution in the history of India.. Now the Vice Chancellor of Delhi University, Yogesh Singh has started yet another controversy. It was reported that while speaking to the Tribune, he said, “The University of Delhi will offer a General Elective Course for undergraduates titled 'Sikh

Martyrdom in Indian History (c.1500–1765)' starting from the upcoming academic session.” Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh lamented that while Indian varsities had no qualms teaching Iqbal, the poet who spent a better part of life opposing India and propagating the idea of Pakistan, they were not teaching the sacrifices of Sikh Gurus, their children and of other Sikh warriors. He added that correct recording of Sikh history would automatically mean correct recording and perspective of the history of Hindus and said, “Sikh aur Hindu ek hi baat hai (Sikhs and Hindus are one). We share our culture and are not apart. We are as they are. The Sikh Gurus are our Gurus." It is not only a narrow approach towards history but also has the potential to disturb the social fabric of the country. Do the Sikh spiritual and temporal (Miri and Peeri) leadership accept and recognize the assertion “Sikh aur Hindu ek hi baat hai (Sikhs and Hindus are one)” any more in the changing scenario of social establishment of the country? While it is good to include the Sikh history in the university curricula where is the need to blind the young generation from the sterling role and contribution of Allama Iqbal in understanding the socio-cultural and even political ground realities only because that he was a Muslim and who supported Pakistan? Creation of Pakistan and partition was also supported by C. Rajagopalchari and Babasaheb Ambedkar well before it was decided to partition the country in 1947. The understanding and vision of Allma Iqbal about Hindustan that is Bharat will remain a lofty ideal for the generations to come.

He called Lord Rama as the “Imamme Hind”. His vision in the Quomi Tarana – Saare Jahan Se Accha Hindostan Hamara is all well known. Iqbal said – Chisti Ne Jis Jamin Pe Paigamme Haq
Sunaya; Nanak Ne Jis Chaman Mein Wehdat Ka Geet Gaya; Jannat Ki Zindgi Hai Jis Ki Fiza Mein Jina – Mera Wattan Wahi Hai Mera Wattan Wahi Hai. These are a couple of demonstrative lines of Iqbal. He said much which unveils the grandeur of Hindostan. And we intend to negate Iqbal. It is unfortunate. I think it is more appropriate and needed to give impetus to the aspects of education which would help us make India a developed country by 2047 as visualized by PM Narendra Modi. These are – Study of India’s Constitution with extracts of relevant Constituent Assembly debates and important speeches of our forefathers particularly Babasaheb Ambedkar and Courses on Civic Sense for good Social Order among others. I only wish and pray that God would show us the way. Let us start living in unison and harmony – Samrasta, the lofty agenda of RSS, the only way to transform Hindostan into Bharat.

वतन की फ़िक्र कर नादाँ मुसीबत आने वाली है

तिरी बर्बादियों के मशवरे हैं आसमानों में

ज़रा देख उस को जो कुछ हो रहा है होने वाला है

धरा क्या है भला अहद-ए-कुहन की दास्तानों में

न समझोगे तो मिट जाओगे ऐ हिन्दोस्ताँ वालो

तुम्हारी दास्ताँ तक भी न होगी दास्तानों में

 

The Bits and Pieces – As I Please – 4

 

The Bits and Pieces – As I Please – 4

Social Media Hanky Panky – It is an unusual subject for me as I am not a not a computer or social media savvy person. These days, it is common that we all get too many unwanted and unnecessary posts, messages, suggestion on social media.  There is media reports everyday of cheating, fraud, crime perpetrated through social media.

The authorities and the other concerned caution and warn us on these matters occasionally. In my case, my children are my conscious keeper and advise me on these matters and I tend to listen to them too. Obviously, we need to be careful.

The other day,  I fell prey to one such instance. I was at the Punjab Press Club at Jalandhar for release of a book. Since I am involved in the socio-cultural life of Jalandhar some of the media functionaries there were my acquaintances. One of them came ahead to say hello to me. I requested him it will be good if he could share the report he would made of the event. He immediately asked for my phone and my Facebook ID. I could not think or say no. He did something and returned the phone. On return from the function, I found that the report on the function was already viral among my Facebook contacts. He posted the report and requested to like the post from my ID. I never did this before. What my contacts may be thinking of this I don’t know but I did not relish the favour done by my media acquaintance. It is also possible that he might have done so without any ulterior motive but I did not like it. The QED of the narration is that never handover your telephone and IDs to others to ward off the untoward ramifications of such actions. Hopefully, my Facebook contacts would read this as I would post this for their benefit.  My children have cautioned me again and I would tend to listen to them.

Interaction at Punjab Press Club Jalandhar – It fell on me to formally launch the book – Bunga Nanaksar: Ravidassia Singhan Da Jujharu Itihas – Revolutionary Role of Ravidassia Sikhs to save and preserve Bunga Nanaksar authored by Roop Lal Roop, an intellectual face of the community at the Punjab Press Club on June 28. This historical book highlighting the sterling contribution of Ravidassia

and Mazhabi Sikhs in the Sikh history is well researched and documented book. Though it confines to Bunga Nanaksar of Talwandi Sabo in the district of Bathinda in Punjab yet some thoughtful comments on the lopsided behavior of spiritual leadership of the Sikhs in integrating the marginalized sections of the society put the things in their right perspective. The book has been sponsored by British Ravidassia Heritage Foundation of the UK headed by Om Parkash Bagha under the agenda of BRHF to promote the mission and philosophy of the great Guru, Guru Ravidass. It was a well arranged solemn function. It was a matter of satisfaction that the vocal and professional media of Jalandhar was present in full strength which resulted in an informative and lively interaction which further resulted in a good and intensive media cover of the event. It helped in eliminating a negative notion that media is not responsive, at least from my somewhat pre-determined aptitude. It was nice to meet Baba Dharam Singh, Chief Sewadar of Bunga Nanaksar and Balbir Rattan, a leading politician of BJP and a dedicated community activist based in Jammu at the function. Meeting good people and be friend them is a bonus which one drives from such events. Thanks Chairman of BRHF, Om Parkash Bagha and author Roop Lal Roop for associating me with the release of the historical book. I am confident the book will be received well by the discerning readers.

Muslim or Islamic Brotherhood – The idea to understand and write about the much flaunted concept of Muslim Brotherhood cropped up during the recent conflict among Israel and USA on one side and Ira on the other. No Muslim country came forward in support of Iran; not even the OIC, an organization of Islamic countries. The global

Muslim population is estimated to be around 2.0 billion, representing approximately 26% of the world's total population, according to Wikipedia. This makes Islam the world's second-largest and fastest-growing major religious grouping.  There are 48 Islamic countries in the world. The OIC has 57 member countries. It is a strange situation because otherwise Muslims all over the globe invoke the concept of Muslim or Islamic brotherhood to fortify and defend their Muslim identity. Sometimes, they tend to take shelter in the umbrella of the concept of International brotherhood to match the Hindu concept of ‘Vasudaiva Kutumbkam’ – The World is one family.

A bit of Google research has thrown some light on the concept of Islamic Brotherhood.  It is explained like this. The brotherhood of faith was described by the Prophet Muhammad, as a single body, when one member of the body is sick, the whole body feels the pain. If this concept is really practiced in the life and life of Muslim society, then of courses this, situation will lead to a pleasant state of peace. Islam emphasizes the concept of "Ukhuwah" (brotherhood) among Muslims, viewing them as one family. This concept promotes unity, mutual support, and shared responsibility among all Muslims, regardless of social or economic status. The concept is rooted in Islamic teachings, including the Quran, which emphasizes the brotherhood of believers. The idea of brotherhood aims to foster a sense of unity and solidarity among Muslims worldwide, creating a unified Muslim community (Ummah). 

The ground realities of today’s world are different. The said ‘Islamic or Muslim brotherhood has no meaning. Iran surrounded by Muslim countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and all countries of the Middle East could not find any support in pursuance of the so called ‘Islamic Brotherhood’. Islamic world is divided among Sunnis, Shias, Ahmediyas and other denominations. It has aso been observed that throughout the world Muslims are fighting with Muslims in the sam country and or in other countries. The concept of Islamic brotherhood, I think, requires an in-depth study “The brotherhood of Islam is not the universal brotherhood of man. It is a brotherhood of Muslims for Muslims only”, said Babasaheb Ambedkar long back in his book ‘Thoughts on Pakistan and Partition of India’. The right wing Hindus often quote Ambedkar to downsize the Muslim community as and when needed. But we are to live together in Bharat. I conclude this with a couplet (Rubai) of Akbar Allahabadi -

Ye baat Galat ki Daar-ul-islaam hai Hind

Ye jhuuT ki Mulk-e-'Lachhman'-o-'Raam' hai Hind

Some Random Thoughts on the words: Socialist and Secular in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution

 

Some Random Thoughts on the words: Socialist and Secular in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution

I am writing this with somewhat mixed feelings of both concern and satisfaction, definitely not as a scholar or an intellectual, but as a layman, a humble citizen of India. Ever since the Constituent Assembly was formulated to make the constitution of India in 1946 many epoch making developments took place – Babasaheb

Ambedkar, who later became an important figure in the process of the constitution making, could barely manage to come to the Constituent Assembly from Bengal in the face of unethical and Manuwadi thinking of the Congress party and its leaders and also the mainstream of the society led by prominent Hindu leaders of the time. Ambedkar’s membership of the Constituent Assembly came to naught in the wake of partition of India as the seat he represented fell in East Pakistan. There was a talk and thinking to invite some constitutional expert from abroad to help us in making the constitution but by that time Ambedkar had showed his mettle in the initial sittings of the Constituent Assembly. The saner sense prevailed and it was felt to engage Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in the process and he was got elected to

the Constituent Assembly from Bombay. It is believed that Mahatma Gandhi, Ambedkar’s staunch opponent till then, prevailed upon Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel among others to associate Ambedkar and avail of his expert services to make the constitution of India. Subsequently, he was made the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly. How skillfully he drafted the document and piloted through the Assembly is a well-documented story of the constitution making? There is no point in going into these details. The Constitution was finally passed, enacted and given to ourselves on November 26, 1949 and accordingly India became Republic in accordance with the new Constitution on January 26, 1950. Here before I proceed further, I would like to recommend to my readers and the Indians at large to read the last speech of Babasaheb Ambedkar which he made in Constituent Assembly on November 25, 1949 before the Constitution was finally adopted. I think many of the distortions which have come into discourse and debate would automatically fade away. It would become clear as to what kind India the chief architect of constitution of India, Babasaheb Ambedkar, visualized and what were the warnings and cautions he expressed to safe guard our newly attained independence? It would help us to understand the debate and discourse a bit more easily. The underlying fact of the whole matter is that though Ambedkar, till his death in 1956, did not get his due space in the polity and society in the socio-cultural norms of inherent graded inequality yet it is a matter of satisfaction to note that India’s socio-political edifice is fully resting on the thought and legacy of Ambedkar after 75 years of India becoming a Republic under the arrangements of a well-made document called the Constitution of India. Though the constitution has already passed the test of time, to my mind, yet some controversies remain, some genuine to adjust to the changing requirements and some purposely generated by the vested interests under one pretext or the other.

Before I come to the ongoing acrimonious debate, let me write emphatically that if India is India today, it is because of the constitution made thoughtfully by our forefathers, led by Babasaheb Ambedkar. It is a matter of satisfaction. Why  I say so, I elaborate it briefly here?  - In the initial years of our independence, personality cult crept in our polity. The questions and doubts like
who after Jawaharlal Nehru started surfacing? Nehru passed away in

1964. Nothing happened and change over took place in accordance with the law of the land. PM Lal Bahadur Shastri got removed from the scene in mysterious circumstances in his death in Tashkent in the then USSR in 1966. The reigns of the country was transferred to Indira Gandhi again as per the constitutional norms. PM Indira Gandhi ruled the country with firm grip on the system even in the turbulent events of war with Pakistan and creation of Bangladesh in 1972. Indira Gandhi was unseated from the Lok Sabha by a verdict of the judiciary in pursuance of the law. She promulgated internal emergency to meet the situation in 1975 again in terms of the law of the country. Emergency was good or bad may be an issue of debate but there is no denying the fact that the constitution of India stipulates internal, external and even financial emergencies as required. Again it was potency of the constitution that PM Indira Gandhi had to lift the emergency in 1977 and face elections as required in a democratic set up. The strongest PM Indira Gandhi lost the elections making way to the new dispensation called Janta Party under the stewardship of Morarji Desai. It was all under the constitution; it is matter of gratification to note. These new leaders, the so called ‘game changers’ could not hold for long due to personal greed and deficit of moral values. Indira Gandhi again was voted to power by ‘we the people of India’ in accordance with the constitutional process. PM Indira Gandhi was assassinated by the bullets of her own security creating a sudden vacuum which also resulted in unfortunate and condemnable communal riots in Delhi and some other places. The constitution was at work and the changeover brought in Rajiv Gandhi in 1984. Again he was eliminated in violence in 1991 resulting in new challenges. But the constitution so skillfully made by Babasaheb Ambedkar with stood these onslaughts on the polity and society of India. With a view to cut the story short – governments of different hues came and gone, external challenges in the form of conflicts and standoffs with unfriendly neighbors, internal challenges of terrorism and communal strife like Ram Janam Bhoomi issue and also pandemics like Covid were handled with success working under the constitution and law of the land. With this, I can safely say that India has come a long way and has, perhaps, arrived but it has still to go a long way to reach. It could happen and we would make it happen further too if we remain and uphold the constitution which has paved the way to success and prosperity. If we tended to ignore these ground realities and put our vested agendas above the nation, as warned by Babasaheb Ambedkar himself in his last speech in the Constituent Assembly on November 25, 1949, we would put our independence into jeopardy and usher India into ‘Grammar of Anarchy’.

The Constitution of India is such a wonderful document which meets all the requirements of the diverse Indian society. Over the years, it has been amply demonstrated that the constitution is flexible and may be amended to adjust to the changing requirements on one hand on the other it is a rigid document which cannot be changed easily to maintain the much needed balance. With this, as many as 106

amendments have been made so far in the constitution with due process of law. The question of change and amendment in basic structure, principles and values of the constitution has been addressed repeatedly by the highest court of the land that is Supreme Court of India. The fundamental aspects of the constitution cannot be changed at all. Now the moot issue comes – Why this debate troubles the polity and constitutional edifice of India again and again. The answer partially rests in the belly of history and partially in the fast changing socio-cultural and also economic and political landscape of the country due to the power of the people of India unleashed by the Constitution made by the visionary icon, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.

The reasons of this debate are both ideological and racial pursued to meet the political ends. The right wing Hindus are averse to both socialism and secularism on one hand and on the other at the back of their mind is Hindutava, Hindu Rashrashtra and Social Status Quo (Graded inequality based on Chaturvarna) as ordained in the Hindu scriptures. This is my simple understanding and explanation of this big issue. The right wing Hindus never accepted the constitution of India and recognized the contribution of Babasaheb Ambedkar in this regard from the day one. And till date, under one pretext or the other, raise this bogie to revisit debate and amend the constitution. Then came the emergency and the 42nd amendment of the constitution in 1976 inserting words Socialist and Secular in the preamble of the constitution as recommended by the Swaran Singh Committee. The constitution was doing well even without these two volatile and contentious words as duly explained and debated in the Constituent Assembly. Perhaps there was hardly any need to tinker with the preamble and generate avoidable controversies. Let me narrate an anecdote in this regard. One of my fellow BootanMandian back home in Jalandhar, Manohar Mahey shared this with me. Manohar’s family was supporters of Congress Party as such enjoyed good rapport with Sardar Swaran Singh who also belonged to Jalandhar. One of Manohar’s uncles (Taya), Seth Banta Ram was not happy with the emergency and tinkering with the constitution. After the 42nd amendment made on the recommendations of Swaran Singh Committee, Swaran Singh was made the President of Congress Party sometime in 1977-78. Seth Banta Ram sarcastically commented ‘Pehlan ene Aiyan (Svidhan) da barka barka kita ate hun eh party nu bhi kheru kheru karuga’ – First he destroyed the constitution and now he will break and disintegrate the party also. It showed the ground reality and public sentiment on the mindless amendments. On the other hand rationale behind the amendment inserting the words – Socialist and Secular by PM Indira Gandhi, to my mind, was the lingering fear of the onslaughts of right wing Hindu outfits like Jan Sangh/BJP and their mentors like RSS on the socialist credentials of the polity and attitude towards the minorities’ particularly Muslims and Christians. The political developments of 1974-77 - ‘Complete Revolution – Sampuran Kranti gave the government a handle to address these issues through the constitutional provisions.

There is nothing new in this and earlier attempts to amend and change the constitution by the right wing Hindutava elements. As said earlier, they never fully accepted the constitution and even its framers like Jawaharlal Nehru and Babasaheb Ambedkar. Till date, some misguided elements are busy in lowering and negating the contribution of Babasaheb Ambedkar by occasionally and selectively bringing in B.N Rau, who was an advisor to the Constituent Assembly, as the real framer of the constitution. When BJP came to power in the last years of 1990s and early years of 2000s under the stewardship of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a committee to renew the constitution was made as occasionally demanded and pressed by RSS and other likeminded outfits.  But the emerging political scenario generated by the forces, unleashed with the affirmative actions for

empowerment of dalits and women and also other marginalized segments of the society, by Babasaheb Ambedkar both by making constitutional provisions and otherwise did not allow the vested interests to succeed. By now things have come full circle. All political entities, big or small, are falling on each other to own Ambedkar and his legacy. Even RSS and its affiliates have changed tack and have expressed support to affirmative actions like Reservations and upholding of the Constitution and its core values, prima facie. Things have come to such a pass interestingly that if you want to negate and side-track an issue; you quote Ambedkar and on the other hand if you like to underline and support an issue, you need to quote Ambedkar. The

current debate initiated by RSS’s Dattatreya Hosabale regarding the words – Socialist and Secular is fully in line with this ‘Ambedkar phenomena’. The opposition led by Rahul Gandhi flaunts ‘Ambedkar’s Constitution’ to attack the BJP and RSS. The BJP and RSS take shelter under ‘Ambedkar’s Constitution’ to answer the opposition. Since these two words did not find mention in the Ambedkar’s original Constitution and were inserted only in 1976, these need to be deleted from the constitution. This is the camouflaged argument of the votaries of debate and change. The intent is clear but only time will tell how far they can go? Obviously, the path is full pitfalls and inherit dangers.

Coming to the debate and discussion in the Constituent Assembly on these words of Socialist and Secular, it is true it was intensively discussed and debated and the pilot of the draft constitution Babasaheb Ambedkar explained and answered each and every aspect of these two words. First, the word secular, Babasaheb was asked that you say India that is Bharat will be a secular country but the word secular does not exist in the entire constitution. His answer was classic. He said that all the relevant provisions, especially in the articles on fundamental rights and the directives of state policy, in the constitution speak loudly that India will be a secular country. Second, the word socialist, he amply explained that he would not favour tying a newly independent state to any political ‘ism’ and added that the aim and object was to make India a welfare state as compared to the concept of democratic socialism prevalent in Europe and all necessary provisions have been made in the document to govern India. It is as simple as that. Babasaheb Ambedkar, a visionary leader was not oblivious, to my mind, of the underlying current of ‘Hindutava’ supported by the right wing Hindus and also the political thinking of the left wingers; communists and socialists.  Following the theory of middle path of Gautama the Buddha, his conscious keeper, Babasaheb skillfully avoided these two volatile and controversial words of socialist and secular from the constitution. Here lies the farsighted approach and wisdom of the father of the constitution. Nothing has changed with the insertion of these words in the constitution in 1976 and, to mind, nothing will change by removing these words now as demanded and proposed by the votaries of Hindutava. These words could have been deleted in 43^rd and 44^th amendments introduced and adopted to undue the perceived mistakes done during the emergency but it was not done. The crux of the matter is that anybody who would try to tinker with the basic structures and fundamentals of the constitution will be opposed tooth and nail by ‘we the people of India’. India is India because of the constitution of India.

Babasaheb Ambedkar himself said that you give a bad constitution to good people; they will prove it good and you give a good constitution to bad people; they would prove it bad. We need to be good to do well. Apart from the letter and spirit of the constitution, we need to inculcate constitutional morality in implementing the constitution which, unfortunately, is missing from our aptitude. We need to have knowledgeable that is Gyansheel people in our august houses of legislation to take India forward as visualized by Babasaheb Ambedkar. He said, “If I may use the words of Buddha he said that man requires two things: one is Gyan and other is Sheel. Gyan without sheel is very dangerous. It must be accompanied by Sheel by which we mean character, moral courage, ability to be independent of any kind of temptation, truthful to ones ideals. I am very keen to see that no member enters this august assembly who does not possess Sheel in adequate degree.”

One or two final takes before I conclude this long analysis of a lay man – One, Given the track record, many people, particularly among the dalits, do not believe the ruling dispensation and their ideological mentor RSS on their pronouncements on Babasaheb Ambedkar and the constitution. I am not one among them. If they profess that they believe in Ambedkar and his legacy and the Constitution of India

which is called Ambedkar’s Constitution, let it be. We should take them on their face value till they prove themselves otherwise. If they have started liking Ambedkar and his legacy, it is good – the more the merrier. Second, I am a firm supporter of the Samrasta Chapter of RSS as it exactly fits in the lofty ideal of fraternity shrined in the preamble of the constitution. India needs an inclusive society where the majority, main stream of the society, lives in tandem and harmony with the minorities; especially the largest Islamic minority. Let us rise above the petty vested interests and search for the way forward to make India a developed country by 2047 as visualized by PM Narendra Modi. I recall poetry of Allma Iqbal which may give us some food for thought –

मस्जिद तो बना दी शब भर में ईमान की हरकत वालों ने
मन अपना पुराना पापी है, बरसों में नमाजी बन ना सका
(हालांकि मस्जिद रातों-रात बनाई गई थी ईमान वालों ने,
हमारा दिल वर्षों से पापी होने के कारण धर्मनिष्ठ नहीं हो सका)

तार आंखें तो हो जाती हैं, क्या लज्जत इस रोने में
जब खून-ए-जिगर की अमाजिश से अश्क पियाजी बन न साका
(हालांकि आंखें गीली हो जाती हैं लेकिन इस रोने में कोई मजा नहीं है
अगर दुख के खून के मिश्रण से आंसू गुलाबी नहीं हो पाते)

इकबाल बड़ा उपदेशक है, मन बातों में मोह लेता है
गुफ्तार का ये गाजी तो बना, किरदार का गाजी बन ना सका
(इकबाल एक अच्छे सलाहकार हैं, पल में ही दिल को मोह लेते हैं,
बातों में तो हीरो बन गए, लेकिन कर्मों में वो हीरो नहीं बन सके।)