On October 10, 1950, in a thought-provoking resignation statement, Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution and the first Law Minister of independent India, voiced his profound disappointment with the then Congress government’s apathy towards the Scheduled Castes. His statement, documented in Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar: Writings and Speeches, Vol. 14, Part 2 (published by the Government of Maharashtra on April 14, 1979), highlighted the systemic neglect faced by marginalised communities even after independence under Nehru’s government.
Excerpts from his resignation
“I have been wondering whether there is any other parallel in the world to the condition of the Scheduled Castes in India. I cannot find any. And yet, why is no relief granted to the Scheduled Castes?”
Drawing a comparison between the government’s approach to Muslims and Scheduled Castes, he said: “Compare the concern the government shows over safeguarding the Muslims. The Prime Minister’s whole time and attention is devoted to the protection of the Muslims.”
While expressing his support for the protection of minority rights, Dr. Ambedkar firmly stated: “I yield to none, not even to the Prime Minister, in my desire to give the Muslims of India the utmost protection wherever and whenever they stand in need of it.”
However, he posed a critical question: “But what I want to know is: are the Muslims the only people who need protection? Are the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, and the Indian Christians not in need of protection? What concern has he shown for these communities? So far as I know, none. And yet, these are the communities which need far more care and attention than the Muslims.”
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s Charge Sheet Against Nehru and Congress: “Nehru’s Whole Time and Attention Is Devoted to the Protection of the Muslims”
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(This is from Dr. Ambedkar’s resignation statement, documented in Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar: Writings and Speeches,… pic.twitter.com/qc9XkJhgzu
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Legacy of Discrimination and Unfulfilled Promises
Dr. Ambedkar reflected on the period leading to independence and the drafting of the Constitution, emphasising the anxiety faced by Scheduled Castes.
“The British had resiled from the commitments they had made in the matter of constitutional safeguards for the Scheduled Castes, and the Scheduled Castes had no knowing as to what the Constituent Assembly would do in that behalf.”
He revealed that during this time, he had prepared a report on the condition of Scheduled Castes for submission to the United Nations but chose not to submit it, hoping the newly formed Parliament would address their plight. Despite his reservations about the constitutional provisions for safeguarding Scheduled Castes, he accepted them in good faith, trusting that the government would act with determination.
However, Dr. Ambedkar lamented the unchanged conditions: “What is the position of the Scheduled Castes today? So far as I see, it is the same as before. The same old tyranny, the same old oppression, the same old discrimination which existed before, exists now, and perhaps in a worse form.”
He cited numerous instances of caste-based oppression, particularly in areas near Delhi, where Scheduled Caste individuals approached him with grievances of discrimination and police inaction: “I can refer to hundreds of cases where people from the Scheduled Castes round about Delhi and adjoining places have come to me with their tales of woes against the Caste Hindus and against the Police who have refused to register their complaints and render them any help.”
Dr. Ambedkar’s emotional and incisive statement exposed the glaring neglect and systemic bias against Scheduled Castes, raising critical questions about Congress’s priorities and commitment to social justice.
The Congress party, which now projects itself as the defender of marginalised communities and carries portraits of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar as a symbol of justice, stands accused of hypocrisy.
In this report, Organiser highlights 11 instances where Congress’s actions undermined Dr. Ambedkar’s vision and legacy, painting a stark contrast to the party’s recent efforts to align itself with his ideals.
Critics liken the Congress’s newfound reverence for Dr. Ambedkar to a hollow gesture. Now Congress carrying the portrait of Dr. Ambedkar calling for justice is just a gimmick and no less than a fashion statement. It’s like Aurangzeb demanding justice for the Hindus he persecuted all his life.
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