Dr. B.R. Ambedkar- The Emancipator

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Ambedkar saw the caste system as an unequal mode of organization of social relations, with the pure and the impure at either extreme. He argued that this system was sanctified through religious codes that forbade intermixture of castes and confined social interaction to a regulated structure. Amedkar became a staunch anti-oppression advocate for Dalits through his politics and writing. One of his critical works is The Annihilation of Caste, which was an undelivered speech he wrote in 1936. Elected to chair the drafting committee of the Constituent Assembly in 1947, Ambedkar abandoned many of his radical convictions as he steered the Assembly through the process of drafting India's constitution. His contributions can be seen in some of the special constitutional provisions for social equality for the Scheduled Castes (the term for untouchables first used by the British). The practice of untouchability was "abolished" in the constitution of independent India (articles 15 and 17), and the Untouchability (Offenses) Act of 1955 makes such discriminatory practices punishable by law. Article 46 provides the Indian version of affirmative action, specifically the promotion of educational and economic benefits for the "weaker sections" of the society. B. R. Ambedkar was the emancipator of dalits from the thousands of years of slavery and tyranny from the upper castes of India. He demanded for the separate electorate for the depressed castes of India which was awarded by the British but due to the stubbornness of Gandhi, reservation in the legislative assemblies was agreed upon through the Poona pact. Ambedkar made the world aware of the thousands of years of slavery prevalent in India. He created awareness among the depressed castes to understand who their real oppressors are and fight with them for their rights and dues. Its because of his relentless efforts that the untouchables were able to improve their socio-economic status post India's independence. He gave us a sense of security in the Independent India. He worked hard to make provisions in our Constitution like the fundamental rights and directive principles of state policy so that every Indian citizen would have certain rights from which a person cannot be alienated by the government and government should be responsible towards its citizens.

Mathew Abraham was born in Kerala and he completed his education in Kerala. As a social activist, he was deeply involved in the Dalit movement and did a research study on the movement. He writes regularly both for national journals and magazine publications.

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