Skip to main content

Leaders who love, respect Ambedkar, should work for local good governance

By Sudhansu R Das
 
There was a scuffle in the Parliament. Protest, dharnas, demonstration, allegations and counter allegations continued over a remark on Dr B R Ambedkar by the Home Minister, Amit Shah. Complaint in the police station was lodged against Rahul Gandhi for pushing two BJP MPs - Pratap Chandra Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput; they got  injured at Makar Dwar.  
The Parliament scuffle began with the reported statement of Amit Shah in the Parliament. “Abhi ek fashion ho gaya hai - Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. Itna naam agar bhagwan ka lete to saat janmon tak swarg mil jata (It has become a fashion to say Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. If they had taken God's name so many times, they would have got a place in heaven)."  
This statement of Amit Shah is not stained with derogatory material against Dr Ambedkar who was a renowned scholar, reformer and leader, the only leader from the Indian political class who excelled and astonished the western scholars with his brilliance. He gifted the Constitution to India. His contribution as an academician and social reformer was immense and unmatched even today. What the political class needs to do now is to follow Dr Ambedkar’s footsteps by enhancing their knowledge on the grass root level socio-economic problems for eradicating poverty and backwardness from a potentially rich country like India.
Thousands of villagers from the backward caste of Dharmabad block of Nanded district of Maharashtra migrate to Hyderabad to work as housemaids, drivers, plumbers and security guards etc.  The majority of the women used to work as farm laborers and earned Rs 170 per day; they faced harassment from the contractors, landlords and other unsocial elements. Today they earn a decent income in Hyderabad city; they educate their children, build their houses and buy agricultural land. There are many villages on the border districts of Maharashtra where people from backward communities migrate to other cities for livelihood despite economic potential in their own districts; despite the state government’s huge social sector spending, a large number of people migrate to other states.  
Nanded has immense economic potential in pilgrim tourism, agriculture, animal husbandry, cottage industry and manufacturing sectors. Leaders who love and respect Dr B R Ambedkar, should establish good governance in the district, stop harassment of the backward communities by rogue elements; they should tap the economic potential of the districts and ensure that the government benefits are not siphoned away by the corrupt people. Leaders who want to follow the footsteps of Dr Ambedkar should liberate the backward communities from poverty and underdevelopment through systematic effort. The community leaders should ensure that each pie meant for the backward community is not diverted nor looted midway.  The backward communities who have flourished due to government benefits should surrender their reservation which will benefit other members of the backward community. 
In order to fulfill Dr Ambedkar’s dream, the followers of Dr Ambedkar should stalk the villages to understand the economic activities undertaken by the backward communities across the country; they add high value to ordinary products which are biodegradable.  It is the responsibility of the followers to protect and preserve the value addition skills among the backward communities; they should help them market their products across the country through supermarket chains. There are many products which are made from bamboo, cane and grass etc  are being exported; the artisans of the backward community should get the profit margin from the sale of their craft items.
Today it has become a fashion to say lack of industry is the reason for low employment; this statement is deeply biased and false. People of Israel cultivate fruits on the walls, roofs, verandah, courtyards and in every available space around them without much soil; they export horticulture products and earn good profit.  It gives them regular income and surplus to live well. India has enough water, fertile land and crop diversity to make each backward family prosperous. The backward community leaders should have ground level data on village ponds, lakes, rivers, wells and canals; they should put their effort to preserve those community capital for the benefit of their own people. Besides, those leaders should ensure transparent marketing facilities, quality education and health facilities in their constituencies. 
If the followers of Dr Ambedkar liberate the Mundis from the greedy traders and middlemen; it will significantly improve the living conditions of millions of people from the backward communities across the country. Those leaders should go from door to door to understand what their people want to sustain their livelihood and make progress in life.
Slogans, meetings, debates, speeches and road shows will not improve the living condition of the poor and backward communities. They need healthy rivers, lakes, ponds and crop diversity to run multiple economic activities without depending on government support. They do not want the voice of sympathy nor crocodile tears. What they desperately need is the profit they always deserve from a transparent marketing network. 
They need quality human beings in the governance mechanism, honest police persons and judges who can let them live with self respect. They deserve quality education and health care facilities at an affordable cost which will improve their living conditions.  The government instead of spending huge money on the social sector should spend it on education, health, sports, library, transportation system and skill development etc. The backward communities are the potential rich people; Branding them as backward communities is an insult to them; it erodes self confidence. The community leaders should put sincere effort to make them one among equals.

Comments

TRENDING

Aurangzeb’s last will recorded by his Maulvi: Allah shouldn't make anyone emperor

By Mohan Guruswamy  Aurangzeb’s grave is a simple slab open to the sky lying along the roadside at Khuldabad near Aurangabad. I once stopped by to marvel at the tomb of an Emperor of India whose empire was as large as Ashoka the Great's. It was only post 1857 when Victoria's domain exceeded this. The epitaph reads: "Az tila o nuqreh gar saazand gumbad aghniyaa! Bar mazaar e ghareebaan gumbad e gardun bas ast." (The rich may well construct domes of gold and silver on their graves. For the poor folks like me, the sky is enough to shelter my grave) The modest tomb of Aurangzeb is perhaps the least recognised legacies of the Mughal Emperor who ruled the land for fifty eventful years. He was not a builder having expended his long tenure in war and conquest. Towards the end of his reign and life, he realised the futility of it all. He wrote: "Allah should not make anyone an emperor. The most unfortunate person is he who becomes one." Aurangzeb’s last will was re...

Beyond his riding skill, Karl Umrigar was admired for his radiance, sportsmanship, and affability

By Harsh Thakor*  Karl Umrigar's name remains etched in the annals of Indian horse racing, a testament to a talent tragically cut short. An accident on the racetrack at the tender age of nineteen robbed India of a rider on the cusp of greatness. Had he survived, there's little doubt he would have ascended to international stature, possibly becoming the greatest Indian jockey ever. Even 46 years after his death, his name shines brightly, reminiscent of an inextinguishable star. His cousin, Pesi Shroff, himself blossomed into one of the most celebrated jockeys in Indian horse racing.

PUCL files complaint with SC against Gujarat police, municipal authorities for 'unlawful' demolitions, custodial 'violence'

By A Representative   The People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has lodged a formal complaint with the Chief Justice of India, urging the Supreme Court to initiate suo-moto contempt proceedings against the police and municipal authorities in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The complaint alleges that these officials have engaged in unlawful demolitions and custodial violence, in direct violation of a Supreme Court order issued in November 2024.

How the slogan Jai Bhim gained momentum as movement of popularity and revolution

By Dr Kapilendra Das*  India is an incomprehensible plural country loaded with diversities of religions, castes, cultures, languages, dialects, tribes, societies, costumes, etc. The Indians have good manners/etiquette (decent social conduct, gesture, courtesy, politeness) that build healthy relationships and take them ahead to life. In many parts of India, in many situations, and on formal occasions, it is common for people of India to express and exchange respect, greetings, and salutation for which we people usually use words and phrases like- Namaskar, Namaste, Pranam, Ram Ram, Jai Ram ji, Jai Sriram, Good morning, shubha sakal, Radhe Radhe, Jai Bajarangabali, Jai Gopal, Jai Jai, Supravat, Good night, Shuvaratri, Jai Bhole, Salaam walekam, Walekam salaam, Radhaswami, Namo Buddhaya, Jai Bhim, Hello, and so on. A soft attitude always creates strong relationships. A relationship should not depend only on spoken words. They should rely on understanding the unspoken feeling too. So w...

Haven't done a good deed, inner soul is cursing me as sinner: Aurangzeb's last 'will'

Counterview Desk The Tomb of Aurangzeb, the last of the strong Mughal emperors, located in Khuldabad, Aurangabad district, Maharashtra, has this epitaph inscribed on it: "Az tila o nuqreh gar saazand gumbad aghniyaa! Bar mazaar e maa ghareebaan gumbad e gardun bas ast" (the rich may well construct domes of gold and silver on their graves. For the poor folks like me, the sky is enough to shelter my grave).

CPM’s evaluation of BJP reflects its political character and its reluctance to take on battle against neo-fascism

By Harsh Thakor*  A controversial debate has emerged in the revolutionary camp regarding the Communist Party of India (Marxist)'s categorization of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Many Communists criticize the CPM’s reluctance to label the BJP as a fascist party and India as a fascist state. Various factors must be considered to arrive at an accurate assessment. Understanding the original meaning and historical development of fascism is essential, as well as analyzing how it manifests in the present global and national context.

State Human Rights Commission directs authorities to uphold environmental rights in Vadodara's Vishwamitri River Project

By A Representative  The Gujarat State Human Rights Commission (GSHRC) has ordered state and Vadodara municipal authorities to strictly comply with environmental and human rights safeguards during the Vishwamitri River Rejuvenation Project, stressing that the river’s degradation disproportionately affects marginalized communities and violates citizens’ rights to a healthy environment.  The Commission mandated an immediate halt to ecologically destructive practices, rehabilitation of affected communities, transparent adherence to National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders, and public consultations with experts and residents.   The order follows the Concerned Citizens of Vadodara coalition—environmentalists, ecologists, and urban planners—submitting a detailed letter to authorities, amplifying calls for accountability. The group warned that current plans to “re-section” and “desilt” the river contradict the NGT’s 2021 Vishwamitri River Action Plan, which prioritizes floodpla...

How polarization between different ideological trends within the communist movement sharpened in India

By Harsh Thakor*  This article is a rejoinder to A Note on Slogans of “Left Unity,” “Unity of the Communist Revolutionaries” and “Mass Line” by Umair Ahmed, published on the Nazariya blog .

Vadodara citizens urge authorities to adhere to environmental mandates in Vishwamitri River Rejuvenation Project

By A Representative   A coalition of environmental activists, ecologists, and urban planners in Vadodara has issued an urgent appeal to state and municipal authorities, demanding strict compliance with court-mandated guidelines for the upcoming Vishwamitri River rejuvenation project. Scheduled to commence in March 2025, the initiative aims to mitigate flooding and restore the river, but citizens warn that current plans risk violating National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders and jeopardizing the river’s fragile ecosystem, home to endangered species like crocodiles and Indian Softshell Turtles.  

Buddhist communities in Michigan protest for Mahabodhi Temple’s return to Buddhist control

By A Representative   Buddhist communities in Michigan have staged protests demanding the return of the Mahabodhi Vihara in Gaya, Bihar, India, to full Buddhist control. The Mahabodhi Temple, regarded as the holiest pilgrimage site in Buddhism, is currently managed under the Bodhgaya Temple Act of 1949, which grants a majority of control to non-Buddhists.