Role of Ambedkar in Social Change

Dr. Raj Kumar

Change is an ever present phenomenon in everywhere. The nature is never at rest. It is changeful. Change is ever present in the whole world, because change is the law of Nature. Similarly, society is not at all a static phenomenon, but it is a dynamic entity from Ambedkar to Raj Rishi Dalit. It is an on going process. Society is subject to constant change from Dalit India to Economic India. Social change has occurred in all societies and at all times, but at the same time, Dalits at one time were considered as degraded human race, now converted into as healthy race of India on the name of ancient, medieval and modern philosophers, Ravidas to Ambedkar, Ambedkar to Raj Rishi Dalit. Dalit is a realizing view of the “Natural-History” that is call Shabd or Nam. Of all the objects, none changes before our very eyes as the society of itself that is called upper-class society of India. Untouchability is still existing in India after the death of Ambedkar. Every society either of the East or West, India is the best. Incessant changeability is the very inherent nature, Ved vyas to Raj Rishi Dalit. India at one time was a poor country dominated by the Britishers near about 200 years with the stroke of pen of the Almighty God, they translated the ancient and medieval literature of India from Sanskrit to English literature and ruled over India.

Annihilation of Caste: It is a pity that caste even today has its defenders, not religion. The defences are many in upper caste politics after Ambedkar. It is defended on the ground of caste system is but another name for division of labour, Dalits and anti-Dalits. If division of labour is a necessary feature of every civilized society that it is argued that there is nothing in the caste-system. Now, the first thing to be urged “Social-change”, Dalit India to economic India. The term social change is used to indicate the changes that took place in human interactions and interrelations. Society is a “web of social relationships”, untouchables to touchables. Hence, “Social-change” obviously means a change in the system of social relationships through Indian Constitution or Sundra Law Book of India. Social relationships are understood in terms of social processes, and social interaction in colleges and universities, not in Mandir and Masjid as old concept of the conflict.

Social Change: A Complex Phenomenon: The fact of social change has fascinated the keenest minds (nafs) and still poses some of the great unsolved problems in social sciences that caste leads to “Social-Revolution” in the present society. “The History of Chamar Dynasty” (600–1200 A.D.) and “Early History of Jammu Region”, both the books are based on “Advancement-Theory” for both the students and teachers, colleges and universities. Mandir and Masjid is a concept of the man-mat.

The phenomenon of Social Change is not simple, but complex one. It is difficult to understand the Higher Education without Nam-practice.

Methodology: Ambedkar undertook various types of studies, some involving into it through universities and colleges, and school of Economic thought (London), etc. He also undertook several cases of studies, often to derive home a point betterment for a society like India. For all his major works involving a thesis to be advanced, as issue to be explored, or a position to be combated, Ambedkar spells out his methodological route, particularly for “The Evaluation of Provincial Finance in British India”, “The Problem of the Rupee, Its Origin and Its Solution”, “The Untouchables”, etc. These are studies in social issues where he attempted to locate the major changes in policy or issues over a period by dividing the period into appropriate stages. There are studies such as Who Were the Shudras?, exegetical in nature. He argued with Gandhi that Gandhi’s interpretation of Hinduism did not stand upto the criteria of interpretation as anti-Dalit literature of the Mandir and Masjid.

Ideological War: The ideas and ideals of John Dewey, Edwin R.A. Seligman, the Fabians and the British Idealists had a deep impact on Ambedkar’s thought and philosophy as Dalit study. He described himself as a progressive radical, and occasionally as a “progressive conservative” as Hindus and Muslim Samaj of India. Their qualification upto Gita and Holy Quran, out of these historical books, he saw the Directive Principles of State Policy of the Indian Constitution (Sundra Law Book) as upholding the “Economic Democracy”. Its notions of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity are based on “Satsang-Theory” of Dera Bias even in Dera Bias a research paper was also explored on his Higher Education that he and his family used to believe on Kabir Panti or Nam Bhakti.

The Relevance of Ambedkar Today: Dr. B. R. Ambedkar is one of the heroes of modern India whose stature has undoubtedly grown over the years, particularly in last three decades in Dalit Studies. He was not anti-Hindus and anti-Muslims, but he was Nam on earth as spiritual leader of the human-mind. His “evolution of mind” was based on historical research. The term “evolution” comes from the latin word “evolvere” which means “to develop” or to uphold the mind with Nam-practice of the Zinda Guru. It closely corresponds to the Sanskrit term “Vikas”. Moreover, “evolution” literally means gradually “unfolding” and “unrolling”. It indicates changes from within and not from without. It is spontaneous, but not automatic. The most important kind of structural change is change in the Indian society with Indian Constitution that has embedded “Spiritual-values”. Ideological values resisted by the Ambedkars with Gandhi and limited with “Social-change” and “Economics-Theory”. Social evolution then comes with cultural evolution and evolution of groups of Dalit study appeared with Dera Bias from time immemorial from Ved Vyas to Raj Rishi Dalit. The fact has an important bearing both in upper-class society and Dalits on his methodological and research in a progressive society or in class-struggle theory.

(The author is Retd. Principal GDC Mahanpur, Jammu)