Name – Akshit Mahajan

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Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s Contribution to Nation Building

Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was born on 14th April, 1891 in a small town at Mhow Cantt near
Indore in Mahar caste, which is known as untouchable caste in Maharashtra. He died on 6th
December, 1956. His name was Bhim Sakpal, during childhood. His father was Ramji Sakpal,
who was the follower of Saint Kabir. Therefore, he never believed in caste. He adopted Buddha
religion along with 5 lakh people in a historical congregation on 14th October, 1956 at
Nagpur.He was born in an untouchable caste which was deprived of all social, educational,
religious and political rights. In spite of this he is counted among some of the most educated
persons of the world. He had high degrees from America, England and Germany.
Notwithstanding his education he had to face a lot of insult in the society. When he was
appointed as Military Advisor in the court of Maharaja of Baroda he was so much insulted by the
employees that he had to leave his post. Fed up with caste insults he decided never to take up a
job and after getting a law degree from England he established his independent law practice in
Bombay.

Dr. Ambedkar like Moses, the liberator of the people of Israel, was motivating his people to
awaken, to organise, to know their strength and exercise their rights. He gave them the slogan of
“Educate, Agitate and Organise” for their liberation.He neither criticised the existing educational
system like Mahatama Gandhi, C. Rajgopachari, Ravindra Nath Tagore and others nor did he set
up a new theory. On the contrary he motivated the Dalits to send their children to the schools and
colleges and educate them. His education extension programme was not confined to the Dalits
only; rather he made education available to all classes. Dr. Ambedkar set up colleges through
Peoples Education Society which made education available to all irrespective of class or caste.
He made arrangement for morning and evening classes which benefitted thousands of young
men and women. BabaSaheb raised the demand for reservation in government jobs for educated
Dalits just like Muslims and other minorities.
BabaSaheb struggled not only for the liberation of Dalits but he made a great contribution
towards nation building and reconstruction of Indian society. He fondly loved his country and its
people and contributed much to their liberty and prosperity.

For framing the future constitution of India Round Table conference was called in England in
1930 and 1932 where he was invited as a representative of Depressed Classes, it was vehemently
opposed by Gandhi. Dr. Ambedkar in his speech strongly criticising the British Government
said, “This government had done nothing for our betterment. We were untouchables before and
we are still untouchable. This government is anti Dalit and is complacent to their expectations
and liberation. This government is doing it deliberately. A government of the people, for the
people and by the people only can bring us relief. Hence our first demand is “Swaraj.” From this
brief extract we can gauze Dr. Ambedkar’s love for his country and his longing for freedom.
Dr. Ambedkar will be remembered not only for promoting interests and education of Dalits but
he will be remembered for his contribution to nation building and its modernisation. Following
are some of its important aspects:-

1. On implementation of Government of India act 1935 it was decided to set up Vidhan Sabha
Assemblies (State Assemblies) and Self Rule in states Dr. Ambedkar formed Independent
Labour Party to secure Dalit participation in it and he contested the first General Election in
1937. He got a good success in it. This Party along with Dalit interests advocated labour interests
also and many demands were put up. BabaSaheb wanted that Labour should not be satisfied with
better wages; good working conditions but they should take part in politics and get share in
political power.

2. Dr. Ambedkar knew well that ever growing population was also one of the factors responsible
for backwardness of India. Hence he had put up a bill for enforcing a population control in
Bombay Assembly in 1940. It also reflects his love for his country.

3. In 1942 for certain reasons he disbanded Independent Labour Party and set up Scheduled
Castes Federation and held a big conference of Dalit classes of all India level. He also held a big
sammelan of Dalit women. He wanted the women to fight themselves for their liberation and
rights. He exhorted the women to fight for enforcement of prohibition. He advised the women to
refuse food to their husbands if they come home drunk. It shows his concern for women
liberation.

4. In 1932 Dalits were given reservation in government jobs and independent representation in
Assemblies and Parliament through Communal Award which was opposed by Mahatma Gandhi
through fast unto death. At last in order to save Gandhi’s life Dr. Ambedkar had to sacrifice the
political rights of Dalits by signing Poona Pact, thereby abandoning the right to separate
electorate. Dalits continue to suffer political slavery as a result of this Pact.

5. It was seen that Congress men disturbed Dalit meetings. Hence in order to stall it Baba Saheb
formed “Samta Sainik Dal” of Dalit youth on the lines of Rashtriy Svayamsewak Sangh (R.S.S.).
He held its big conference in 1942. Through this Dr. Ambedkar wanted to inculcate a spirit of
discipline, self respect, protection of Dalit leaders and countering atrocities on Dalits.

6. It is well-known that Dr. Ambedkar made a significant contribution in framing Indian

Constitution but even some people try to make small of it. We cannot deny that if democracy has
survived in India it is due to our constitution only. Dr. Ambedkar made a singular contribution to
the establishment of parliamentary democracy and state socialism.

7. Dr. Ambedkar was much concerned with the miserable plight of women as shudras along with
Dalits. Hence he wanted to get political rights for women. In 1952 when he was Law Minister of
India he took a lot of pains to prepare Hindu Code Bill and placed it before the Parliament. But
when orthodox Hindus opposed it at a large scale and Mr. Nehru, the then Prime minister, also
displayed weakness Dr. Ambedkar resigned in disgust from the post of Law Minister. Later on in
1956 the same bill was passed as Hindu Marriage act, Hindu Succession Act etc. It shows that
Dr. Ambedkar made a great contribution to the emancipation of Indian women.

Apart from above Dr. Ambedkar contributed a lot to lay the foundation of India’s
industrialization and modernisation. Unfortunately his contribution in this field has not been
brought before the people. In this field his important contribution is welfare of labour classes,
agriculture irrigation, and preparation of water transport schemes. As a result of it
industrialisation and multipurpose river water schemes could be launched later on in India. In
1942 when Dr. Ambedkar was member of the Executive council of Viceroy he held charge of
Labour Department which included Labour, Labour Laws, Coal mines, Printing and Public
Works Department.

BabaSaheb had stayed for long in labour colony. Hence he was fully aware of the problems of
the labour class. Hence as Labour Minister he got enacted many labour laws out of which Indian
Trade Union Act, Industrial Disputes Act, Compensation, Working Hours and Maternity Benefit
are the main laws. He put a ban on the working of women in deep mines ignoring opposition
from the British. He motivated the Labour to get share in political power. In fact a majority of
the present labour laws were enacted by Dr. Ambedkar for which labour class will remain
indebted to him forever.

BabaSaheb was very much engaged in the welfare of Safai workers and organising them whereas
Gandhi sermonised them to remain Bhangis and he considered their strike as immoral.
BabaSaheb organised the Safai karamcharis of Bombay Nagar Mahapalika and got formed their
union for the first time. He wanted to organise similar unions in other states also and give it a
shape of All India Organisation. With this purpose in view he formed a two member committee
to submit a report after studying the working conditions in other states and prevailing laws. It
makes very clear that BabaSaheb was very much interested in getting justice to Safai workers
and organising them on the lines of organised labour class.

Dr. Ambedkar was much worried about the increasing population of India resulting in problems
of poverty, unemployment and hunger deaths. Hence he wanted to upgrade agriculture. In fact he
wanted to give it a status of industry. Hence he put up a proposal for nationalisation of
agriculture land and collective farming on the pattern of Russia so that it could be mechanised.
For this purpose he wanted to implement river irrigation schemes. He had drawn plans for canals
by putting up dams on rivers and produce hydroelectric power. In this way he wanted the rivers
to become means of prosperity by stopping destruction through floods. With this purpose in view
he was the first to make a plan for “Damodar River Valley” similar to “Tennis Valley Authority”
of America. Similarly he made plans for utilising the water of other rivers of India. Dr.
Ambedkar wanted to promote water transport also because it is very cheap. He also favoured the
use of small atomic explosions in the river bed in order to deepen them and avoid floods due to
silting. With this objective in view he had set up “Central Waterways, Irrigation and Navigation
Commission” (CWINC). From this we can estimate the modern outlook and progressive thinking
of Baba Saheb regarding agriculture, irrigation, power and use of the river water.

Dr. Ambedkar was of the firm opinion that unemployment, poverty and shortage of consumer
goods cannot be removed without industrialisation of India. On the contrary Gandhi was strongly
opposed to use of machines and industrialisation. Dr. Ambedkar also knew that industrialisation
cannot be done without power. Hence he was of the view that we should produce cheap and
adequate power. BabaSaheb wanted to generate power by building dams on rivers. With this
objective in view he made Damodar Valley Project and established Central Water and Power
Commission. The main task of this Commission and Central Waterways, Irrigation and
Navigation Commission was to give advice to the states for agriculture irrigation and power
generation. Later on with their cooperation and guidance many big multipurpose river Schemes
were prepared which helped in agriculture irrigation and flood control along with power
production. He also set up Electricity Boards for power generation and distribution. In fact Dr.
Ambedkar laid the foundation of industrialisation of India by making plans for power generation,
flood control, agriculture irrigation and multipurpose river schemes.

From the above brief description it is obvious that Dr. Ambedkar was very much devoted to the
reconstruction of modern India, industrialisation, agriculture development and irrigation; flood
control, river transport and to increase power production. He was really a maker of Modern
India. Our nation will ever remain indebted to him for his great contribution towards
industrialisation and modernisation of our country.