There was a heated debate on the 75 years of Indian Constitution in the just concluded winter session of the Parliament. The focus obviously was on Dr BR Ambedkar, the chief architect of the Constitution of India. The various facets of the constitution were covered by the eminent parliamentarians but the views of Dr Ambedkar on national security did not find much mention. Being a leading political thinker and an economist par excellence, Dr Ambedkar held several views on national security and some of these are even relevant today.
Dr Ambedkar had a far-sighted vision and his seminal book called ‘Thoughts on Pakistan’ first published in the year 1941 and once again published in the year 1955 are so relevant today. Dr Ambedkar had predicted non-viability of Pakistan as a nation state, so early. He was of the view that a country whose foundation is laid on religious identity of Islam would be vulnerable to internal conflicts and instability. The Pakistan of today has proved the words of Dr Ambedkar correct. Dr Ambedkar also mentioned the necessity of minority rights in the book and dwindling Hindu and Sikh community in Pakistan is a reflection of fragile constitutional safeguards in that country. Thus Dr Ambedkar could foresee the likely friction between India and Pakistan, well before the actual partition.
Having studied abroad, Dr Ambedkar held a very clear view on the foreign policy of India. Dr Ambedkar believed in developing political alliances with the democracies for India so as to rise as a global power. India was the richest economy in the world before the British empire looted our wealth. He, therefore, believed in India regaining the economic power to leverage relations with the neighbours and foreign powers. He also believed that India was the right candidate to be permanent member of United Nations Security Council. Unfortunately, the decision dilemma of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, who also held the Foreign Ministry portfolio at that point of time let the opportunity slip away from India and China became permanent member at our cost.
The advancement of science & technology was another important pillar of national security for Dr Ambedkar. He felt that technology could drive our economic growth and as result, the national security interests would be better served. Post second world war in 1945, the warfare had undergone a change towards technological edge and the wars had become complex. Dr Ambedkar wanted Indians to embrace technology for the future battlefield milieu. Post independence, India had to face the challenge of Pakistan aided tribal invasion in Kashmir, when India was able to save the Kashmir Valley just in nick of time. Knowing the commitment of Dr Ambedkar towards national security, he would have strongly supported the modernisation of Indian Armed Forces in due course.
There is a mention that Dr Ambedkar felt that human security was more important than nationalism. Being a poor nation that India was at the time of independence, tall national leaders like Dr Ambedkar were very conscious of the financial burden of maintaining a large armed forces. India also did not have much industrial base for defence manufacturing. Like so many nationalist leaders, the welfare of the poor was a priority for India. General K.M. Cariappa, the first Commander in Chief of the Indian Army accepted pay cut and reduction in salary for the Army. The Army leadership was aware of the financial crisis post-independence and pitched in with their contribution towards nation building.
Though Dr Ambedkar championed the cause of the poor, backward and Dalits, he was conscious of that the armed forces should be kept away from reservation. Indian Army was evolving post-independence, after splitting of resources between India and Pakistan. The understanding was to split resources in the ratio of 6:4 between India and Pakistan and the transfer of regiments and assets was a complex process. Therefore, Dr. Ambedkar supported the existing structure of the Indian Army, in the larger national interest.
For a large country like India, Dr Ambedkar had proposed the second capital at Hyderabad, so that both political and strategic interests are better served. During British era, Calcutta had served as the capital of India. Later the capital was shifted to Delhi. Hyderabad was the largest and arguably the richest princely state, at the time of merger with the Union of India. The choice of Hyderabad as the second capital was apt at that point of time because of its superior infrastructure and better connectivity.
India was fortunate to have a visionary leader like Dr Ambedkar. In fact, there is no other leader like Dr Ambedkar who had mastery over the constitutional challenges and social reforms in the sub-continent till the sixties. The views of Dr Ambedkar on national security still carry so much weight. The best tribute to Dr Ambedkar would be to develop strategic culture in India and make it a most modern military power. The armed forces under Modi government are on the path of transformation in consonance with the views of Dr Ambedkar to protect the territorial sovereignty of the country and secure strategic national interest.
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