Ambedkar, Gender And New India: How Ambedkar Showed The Way To Justice

As envisioned by Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar, progress of the society will be achieved in real terms if notions of justice are attained in its entirety — social, economic, cultural, and political. 

India has walked several decades through progression of its civilisational determinants and Ambedkar’s idea of a just society operating within the lubrics of democracy is not merely a form of government as a power corridor but of the expanding the contours of power into social, economic, and cultural corridors through which a responsible breakthrough of our positioning in the society will happen. 

The shift from aggressive politics to assertive politics has enhanced the bargaining power of Dalits who now are looking for endeavours to improve their conditioning. In the 21st century, Dalit feminists in their response to gender- and caste-based distinctions are also reclaiming their rights and dignity. A change in the political climate of the country is not enough to ensure that social and economic injustices are being addressed with utmost sincerity. It is important to implement concrete structural changes aiming at providing legal, political, and economic entitlement to the marginalised community and in this case to the women of Dalit households.  

The central idea in Ambedkar’s thought and his advocacy of women rights emphasised on this concrete plan of ensuring education for women, provide them with economic security and a political voice to raise their own concerns. He was the first feminist thinker to mobilise talks around making structural changes in the system through legal and constitutional reforms. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aligning with the ideas of Ambedkar, has always empathised on the significance of the relation between social and economic justice and the necessity of bringing Dalits to economic mainstream. 

We can witness the revival of Ambedkar’s thought in the politics of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The government policies of introducing schemes under MSMEs, Start-Up Initiative, Jan Dhan Yojna, Skill India, etc, targeting the members of Dalit community and especially the women of these households, will serve towards advancing their capability to attain reasonable entitlement. The legislative proposals passed by the government will ensure marriage and inheritance rights to women irrespective of their religious identity. 

Ambedkar, the first feminist thinker of his time, resigned from his position as the Law Minister of the country due to the inability of the Nehru government to pass the Hindu Code Bill. He advocated for a Hindu Code Bill aimed to codify and reform Hindu personal laws in India that provide women with a security of maintenance and inheritance after marriage. From its flagship program “Beti Bacho, Beti Padhao”  to the introduction of amendments in the Medical Termination of Pregnancy, Surrogacy Regulation Act, and Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021, Modi government has unveiled a completely new wave of women empowerment.

Ambedkar embodies the notion ‘samrasta’ and to bring out ‘samrasta’ in society as a whole. The idea of samrasta stands for equilty, social harmony, charity, sincerity, dignity, and parity. There has been an effort to take forward Ambedkar’s vision of justice with an outward uniformity in the society. In today’s era of inter-connectedness and co-dependence, there is a need to merge divergent views and communities. There is a need to revise the social narrative of caste-based distinction and persistent stress on victimhood. Dalit scholars are taking charge of their stories and are building a social capital of their own. In here the role of Dalit feminist is commendable as they are making their presence felt in the on-going plethora of politics of difference. 

Ambedkar can be viewed as a master strategist and a glorious visionary who instead of investing himself in reactionary politics focused on a responsible reformation of the same. Change in any society comes through gradual process of structural correction and an enlightened population. For justice to flourish in its rightful sense, citizens need to understand their responsibility and the state must work to build the infrastructure to bridge the gap between its people and its resources. Ambedkar’s emphasis on the need to ingeniously moderate between communities is something that the state needs to focus upon. His politics encompasses a palpable distinction from the rhetorical politics of empowerment of his contemporaries.  

The appraisal of limiting Ambedkar as a Dalit leader takes away from the illustrious visionary pathways he possessed. The continuous glorification of the idea of victimhood stripped Dalits of their well-deserved achievements. No doubt, there are miles to cover but one cannot negate the progression made by the members of my community. They have entered spaces of economic, political, cultural, and social significance and it is crucial to highlight such examples to inspire its members. It was Ambedkar who consistently pointed towards the significance of occupying and reclaiming spaces by Dalits which we have achieved today. 

A synthesis of political and economic relations aimed at empowering the Dalit youth and Dalit women needs to be manifested within the structure. The gendered view of the society provides an enriching overview of the existing injustices that have been perpetuated against members of this community and the inclination of Dalit feminism in understanding their caste- and gender-based positioning through the Ambedkarite lens of justice can provide them with means to address their concerns in its truest essence.