Reference your article in Indian Express, 13 April 2021, Tuesday, “Nationalism and Ambedkar”. Your Excellency, the heading itself belies everything Ambedkar ever stood for, he had absolutely nothing to do with either Nationalism or Patriotism, Both are alien to his world view as prevailing before Independence. Notwithstanding, the political compulsions, this ode to perhaps the most divisive figure endured by the Indian Nation in the 20 century, in exception to MA Jinnah, is factually, ethically and morally wrong and most importantly is a political eulogy to BR Ambedkar. It is most surprising that Your Excellency chose to ignore the mountain of evidence against Ambedkar to endear a political constituency thereby elevating mediocrity and falsehood to pedestal of infallibility.
Ambedkar’s claim to fame and subsequent glory is most disingenuous piece of hero making to garner votes. His fame lies in the lies floated since 1970s when Indira in her attempt to run down Jagjivan Ram, the tallest Dalit Leader promoted the myth of Ambedkar. The myth of his drafting the Constitution and incorporating the Fundamental Rights section is a later day concoction. The assumption of his being the prime mover behind Fundamental Rights and Drafting is flawed and do not stand scrutiny of the contemporary record of the Constituent Assembly debates.
Arun Shourie in his famous work, “Worshipping False Gods“ on Ambedkar has laid bare many myths and the one about Fundamental Rights bears testimony to the fact that Ambedkar was just one of three whose drafts were taken up for deliberation and it will be pertinent to know that it was the draft of KM Munshi which was accepted and not Ambedkar’s. Interestingly, Shourie writing in his magnum opus says that Ambedkar did nothing but copy verbatim the section about Fundamental Rights from the US Constitution besides taking down word by word from French, Japanese and other Constitutions. Arun Shourie is unarguably the foremost intellectual and ideologue the Right Wing can claim. He has thoroughly exposed the claims made by supporters of Ambedkar.
Your Excellency is an erudite scholar and a widely respected politician, I am sure that Your Excellency has definitely read the brilliant expose on Ambedkar by Arun Shourie. Your assertion that Ambedkar was anti Caste is a grossly inaccurate and flawed. He was an avowed Casteist whose sole aim was to divide the Hindu Society on basis of Caste. His toeing the British line and demanding Separate Electorates for Depressed Classes was not aimed at representation of the lower caste but aggrandisement of his political ambitions. It was his follow up action after he was invited for the Round Table Conference as representative of Depressed Classes. It will be prudent to bring to your attention the attempt by Ambedkar to create Caste Divide in Maharashtra by invoking the Battle of Bhima-Koregaon as one between the Peshwa, representing the Upper Caste and Mahars representing the Lower Castes. Nothing can be more devious than this and it got Ambedkar his ticket to the 1931 Round Table Conference. His demand for Separate Electorates for Depressed Classes led MK Gandhi to sit on an indefinite hunger strike or fast to death if British did not rescind the legislation. Shockingly, Ambedkar went on record that Separate Electorate will be granted even if Gandhi dies. The British were not so sure hence recalled the order after the so called Pune Pact. And, here Your Excellency is extolling virtues of Ambedkar as Social Democrat.
Your Excellency speaks of ‘ Nationalism’ and Ambedkar in the same breath as if they are inseparable, in fact, Ambedkar had not the slightest feeling which would remotely resemble Nationalism. He was a British Stooge, who did his White Masters’ bidding. As member of the Viceroy’s Executive Council he is on record requesting the British to bind India in some post Independence treaties where Britain reserves the Right to intervene in Indian affairs as though a sovereign power. His continued pleading for such a binding is evidence of his Nationalism. As a matter of fact Nationalism was alien to Ambedkar, he hobnobbed with Jinnah and called for division of India further into Dalitstan in cahoots with the Muslim League & likes of Jinnah and Periyar.
Ambedkar being projected anti Caste is a parody of sorts. The man presided over the Caste Based Reservations, he was not anti Caste but wanted to annihilate the Hindu Society. Ambedkar was a failed politician all his living life and a mediocre who gained prominence post his death thanks to votebank politics in India. Nowhere in the world is there an example of crass mediocrity promoted to iconic levels. We the readers can understand the political compulsions of BJP in promoting the Cult of Ambedkar and the Blue but it will come to haunt the BJP like Muslim Appeasement did to Congress. Wake Up and Smell the Coffee !
