Morung Express News
Kohima | March 11
The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee today celebrated the 125th Birth Anniversary of Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar at Conference Hall, Congress Bhavan, Kohima.
Dr. Ambedkar, popularly known as Babasaheb Ambedkar, was one of the architects of the Indian Constitution. Ambedkar's efforts to eradicate the social evils like untouchablity and caste restrictions are remarkable. Apart from being a well-known politician and an eminent jurist, Babasaheb fought for the rights of the dalits and other socially backward classes throughout his life.
Ambedkar was appointed as the nation's first Law Minister in the Cabinet of Jawaharlal Nehru and was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, in 1990.
Ambedkar was born to Bhimabai Sakpal and Ramji on April 14, 1891 in Madhya Pradesh. Born into a poor low Mahar (dalit) caste, who were treated as untouchables and subjected to socio-economic discrimination, Ambedkar was discriminated all his life and had vowed not to die an “untouchable”.
Elucidating at length on how Babasaheb became a drafting member of the Indian Constitution, Dr. K. Jayakumar, Secy. AICC I/c Northeast speaking on his biography, stated that Ambedkar armed himself with numerous degrees and qualifications from the best universities in the world, thus, making himself a necessity to the Constituent Assembly.
Ambedkar had always put the interests of the nation first and his view of democracy as a state of “liberty, equality and fraternity” [adopted from the French revolution] remain relevant even today, he added.
The AICC Secretary mentioned that Ambedkar was successful in fighting untouchability with the inclusion of Article 17 in the Indian Constitution which abolished untouchability and made it a punishable offense. He added that the Indian Constitution is the only one in the world where a citizen can directly petition the Supreme Court if his or her fundamental rights are compromised.
Referring to a recent national survey which declared Ambedkar as “The Greatest Indian since 1947”, Dr. Jaya maintained that this underlined Babasaheb’s contribution in shaping the country to its present stature.
Hitting out at RSS’ Mohan Bhagvat for trying time and again to dilute the Reservation Policy enshrined in the Constitution, the AICC Secretary said, “Whenever BJP came to power, the rights of the SCs and STs are questioned.”
“In their previous regime, Vajpayee appointed Venkata Challiah Committee for the same purpose and that such vested interests are threatening the Constitutional safeguards,” Dr. Jaya stated. “Today they [BJP] are entering kitchens and censoring what people eat and tomorrow, they will enter bathrooms and find something to censor,” he added.
Hitting hard on the RSS and the BJP for claiming the legacy of Dr. Ambedkar, the AICC Secretary opined that their respective ideologies and philosophies are “180 degrees apart”. “While the RSS stands for hardline Hindutva and promoting the Uniform Code, Dr. Ambedkar on the other hand was a pluralist who advocated equality, brotherhood and the inclusion of all peoples and showed the way of life to be happy and peaceful through the Constitution,” he remarked.
The AICC Secretary also slammed HRD Minister Smriti Irani for closing down the Ambedkar-Periyar Study Circle of the Students in IIT Chennai levelling dubious charges. He also slammed the concocted and doctored footage to put JNU Student Union President Kanhaiya on false sedition charges and opined that the charges will not stay in the court of law.
Earlier, Jarjum Ete, Gen. Secy. AIMC (I/c – Northeast) speaking on the occasion said Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s farsightedness in advocating liberty, equality and fraternity is most relevant even today. Appreciating the celebration, she further appealed for women parity in all levels of organization to realize Dr. Ambedkar’s dream of equality for all citizens.
P. Leonard Aier, Principal, Dimapur Law College also addressed the programme on ‘Constitution and the Judiciary’.
