“Constitution is not a mere lawyer’s document, it is a vehicle of Life, and its spirit is always the spirit of Age.”
Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar
Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, who is majorly known as the architect of the Indian Constitution, whom we commonly know as Babasaheb Ambedkar, was a social reformer, economist, jurist, and the principal architect of the Indian Constitution.
Babasaheb was born on April 14, 1891, in Mhow, which is now in Madhya Pradesh. He dedicated his whole life to fighting against social injustice, untouchability, and the caste system prevalent at the time when he was born in India during the British Raj period.
Here now we discuss the key contribution of BR Ambedkar.
1. Father of the Indian Constitution
As the chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Indian Constitution, he played a role in framing the Constitution and putting all points from breaking the Constitution from all over the world from breaking the thought of ensuring justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity fall from the fresh Constitution, which came from the French Revolution.
Bringing the equality before law and equal protection of law, given under Article 14 of the Constitution of India, which comes in the fundamental right under Chapter III of the Constitution of India, gave protection to the people for unequal circumstances and also created all people in front of the law. Even the President and Governor, or a citizen of India, were treated the same.
Protection of love and equality. We can have a debate on the negative and positive aspects of both the Lord and the law, which comes from the British Constitution and the American Constitution, bringing the concept used by two different constitutions into a single constitution and caveat, right authority of the state to protect the fundamental right, which gave the most power even in the case of Kesavananda Bharati versus State of Kerala, 1973 revolver case, where the new judgement by the Supreme Court of India talk about article 14 .
2. Champion of Social Justice
Ambedkar advocated for the known Scheduled Caste and ensuring reservation in education and employment, and when he brought it into the Constitution, he also put a 10-year limit.
“Educate, Agitate,” Organize”—Empowering the oppressed through knowledge and collective action
3. Reformer of Hindu personal law
During the period of the 1940s or early 1950s, Indian society was largely governed by the religious personal laws. Hindus and Muslims are governed by the Quran and some other legislation that was given by the Muslim scholars.
Ambedkar understood that these required changes with time; he advocated for Hindus even when he resigned from his post as the first Law Minister of India. Just when Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India, does not want to pass Hindus due to political compulsion.
What was the Hindu Code Bill?
The Hindu court bill was proposed legislation. We try to codify and reform the Hindu personal laws, focusing on a few points that required attention according to the time:
- Ensure gender equality.
- Legally recognize a woman's right to inheritance and property.
- Allow women to divorce and remarry.
- Provide equal adoption rights.
- Abolish discriminatory customs.
“We are Indians, firstly and lastly.”
Key provisions advocated by Ambedkar
Ambedkar, a student of law and economics, understands one thing very clearly: if inheritance is not given to women, then talking about equality or gender equality is not possible. That is the reason why he tried to give women equal rights on ancestral property, which until then was restricted to male heirs, which, in some exceptions in Kerala or some northern state, was totally an exception.
Marriage divorce legislation provision for divorce, allowing both men and women to recognize polygamy for Hindus. As we know, Muslims had a right to marry four wives before 1954. A Hindu man can marry as many women as he wants to marry after the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. The legislation creates a safeguard for women and restricts the number of wives.
Adoption rights for women
He has given the right to women to adopt a child, which was only available to men before the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956.
Women's autonomy in property ownership
Allowed women to own and manage their own property independently today. It seems normal, right? But before 1954, legislation was not passed. A woman does not have any right to manage her own property. with the help of legislation, which we commonly know as the Hindu Succession Act (1956 & 2005 Amendment) as given the woman power to manage property available to men.
Here we discuss the Hindu Succession Act 1956.
4. First Law Minister of Independent India
Ambedkar served as the first law minister in Jawaharlal Nehru's cabinet from 1947 to 1951. He tried to bring many pieces of legislation. He tried to reform Hindu religious contributions for scheduled caste communities, and this legislation tried to uplift the castes that are socially, economically, and politically backward due to the right being taken away from them.
5. Conversion to Buddhism
In 1956, with his thousands of followers, he converted himself to Buddhism.
“If I find the constitution being misused, I shall be the first to burn it.”
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