Contribution of Babasaheb B.R. Ambedkar to Nation Building and Women Empowerment

 

Contribution of Babasaheb B.R. Ambedkar to Nation Building and Women Empowerment

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Samaj Sewak Trust of Hisar is bringing out a Souvenir to commemorate the birth anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedkar, one of the greatest sons of India in the contemporary times. It is gratifying to note that the souvenir is dedicated to the theme ‘Contribution of Babasaheb Ambedkar

to nation building and women empowerment. It is an important subject about which our younger generations must be made aware and educated in the larger interest of the country and society. I appreciate and congratulate the Trust for taking the initiative in this regard. Moreover, it will also serve as a befitting tribute to the memory of the great leader, Babasaheb Ambedkar.

Babasaheb Ambedkar was a nationalist of the highest order who always believed in the dictum of ‘India first and India last’. He was a visionary leader. During the freedom struggle, he engaged himself in the nation building by addressing the socio-economic problems of the weaker sections of the society while working and interacting with the British rulers of the time both by way of his intellectual and academic prowess and also in his capacity as a senior functionary in the government side by side of the freedom movement led by Mahatma Gandhi and others. As a profound economist, Dr. Ambedkar was a great economic planner and thinker. As such he contributed immensely to economic edifice of the country namely; Reserve Bank of India, big hydro projects like Damodar Valley, Labour laws to bring about social security elements in labour policies among others even before our independence in 1947. Babasaheb’s biggest contribution towards nation building was his brilliant role and contribution in making the Constitution of India. He is rightly remembered as ‘Father of the Indian Constitution’.

Coming to Dr. Ambedkar’s contribution in emancipation and empowerment of women, it is huge contribution which he made not only through the relevant provisions in the Constitution of India – voting rights through universal franchise, equality before law irrespective of gender etc. Even before the new constitution, Babasaheb as Executive Member of the Viceroy’s Council dealing with Labour, made provisions of maternity leave, regulated working hours, women not going down the coal mines etc. to safeguard the interests of women. In providing equal status to women, Babasaheb Ambedkar faced considerable difficulties and challenges from the Hindu or even Sikh orthodoxy. PM Jawaharlal Nehru though promised all support yet he could not defy the hardcore orthodoxy and shelved the Hindu Code Bill proposed by Babasaheb Ambedkar in the early years of 1950’s to reform the society and finish the uncalled for discrimination against women in the social order of India. Babasaheb Ambedkar was a man of conviction and dignity. He resigned from the Cabinet of PM Nehru and registered his protest for ignoring the rights of women. These efforts of Dr. Ambedkar resulted in the current rightful space and share of women of India in the polity and economy of India and the society at large.

I thought of sharing some of my, of the cuff, thoughts on the subject. With this, I conclude with all best wishes to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Samaj Sewak Trust in their worhy efforts to take the ‘Caravan’ of the thought and legacy of Babasaheb Ambedkar.