Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Congress party

Dr. Duggaraju Srinivasa Rao

Dr. B.R Ambedkar is fiercely independent in his views and practices and that trait made him to remain away from the Congress party and also the freedom movement that was led by Congress. His only aim was to achieve social status for his own community people who were kept away from the mainstream society. Ambedkar felt that by joining any existing political party he will become subservient to the leadership of that party and his agenda will get diluted. Moreover he believed that he could get better benefits to his community through the British rulers rather than being part of any party which is likely to succeed British. Ambedkar’s pro-British and anti-Congress line suited the colonial masters too.

Ambedkar is not impressed with Mahatma Gandhi’s initiatives for the upliftment of Harijans through his agitation like temple entry for Harijans etc., as he believed those are only cosmetic and far below his aspiring political empowerment and share in power. He differed wit both Gandhi and Nehru and their ways of running party. So he took his independent line for political empowerment through his special demand of separate electoral rolls for Scheduled caste people and also special reserved constituencies where only those designated caste candidates will contest and those caste people will only vote. That was not acceptable for Gandhi and he undertook fast unto death and Ambedkar was forced to agree, through Poona pact, to abandon his idea and settle for reserved constituencies for SCs by signing the pact. The regret of downscaling his demand remained with Ambedkar in subsequent life. He felt his independent line of fighting for the welfare and upliftment of SCs ended with that Poona pact.

Sabita Ambedkar, the wife of B.R. Ambedkar, in her autobiography BABASAHEB-My life with Dr Ambedkar wrote that “by 1946 his political status had turned quite pitiable” as his demands had been altogether ignored in the document prepared by Cripps mission and Ambedkar felt that “all his efforts made on behalf of the untouchables had been washed away”. He felt that his own political party, the Scheduled castes Federation (SCF), existence fallen into doubt. His contention that he was out smarted and his agenda was maneuvered, hijacked by the Congress party.

Amedkar’s big break came on him being elected to the constituent assembly through the indirect support of a group of Congress, other than Nehru. It was on the insistence of Gandhi that Ambedkar was taken into his ministry by Nehru. Gandhi wanted the 1947 government to be a nationalistic one with representatives of all those parties which had a role in freedom fight. Nehru obliged. Other than Communists, Hindu Mahasabha, Justice Party, Muslim league, Akali Dal were taken into the ministry. Perhaps the Communists negative role during the Quit India movement was still in the memory of Congress.

The post of chairman of constitution drafting committee was offered to Ambedkar and he accepted it with the sole motive of protecting the interests of SCs which were top of his agenda all through. Having successfully completed the onerous task of drafting Indian Constitution, at the cost of his own health, and getting the approval for every provision he incorporated Ambedkar took on him self as the next target of codifying the Hindu. On seeing the reluctance of Nehru on the codification at one go, Ambedkar came out of the cabinet and he almost verbally fought with Nehru for his right to  make a statement for resigning from the cabinet as he argued in the absence of such an explanation the fabricated version will go into public. That Ambedakr obtained right to address the parliament on the resignation became a norm subsequently in India.

Nehru has not taken Ambedkar’s rebellion against him that was reflected in subsequent actions of Congress party. In 1952, when India went for first general election, one expected a royal entry to Ambedkar into Lok Sabha unanimously, as a privilege for the drafter of the constitution. Ambedkar announced his candidature from the reserved North Bombay constituency. What happened from then on is explained by Mrs Sabita Ambedkar in her book and it is worth quoting.

“Congress had marked it a prestigious seat ….and Prime Minister Nehru himself was keeping an eye on the constituency. What we heard then was that Nehru, SK Patil and SA Dange decided that they would do all that was required, use whatever strategy suited for the occasion, but they determined not to let Dr Ambedkar win”. They finally selected Narayanarao Kajrolkar, a chamar, one time close confident of Ambedkar with the promise of membership in Lok Sabha as the Congress candidate against Ambedkar. It was the moment when the Congress party sowed the seed of division among  SC communities with the aim of braking the unity of those communities under the leadership of Ambedkar. It was the first challenge for Ambedkar in the independent India as he was till then considered as the unchallenged leader of SC communities.  The combined efforts of Nehru and CPI’s S A Dange succeeded in defeating Ambedkar in the lection by around 14 thousand votes. Sabita Ambedkar and her husband concluded then that “there is no place in the Congress for colossal scholarship, caliber and abilities. Ambedakr expected his win will compel Nehru to offer him the berth in the cabinet and he can serve the country but his defeat resulted in extremely harmful impact on Ambedakr’s health. With the rejection in election Ambedkar felt not only got disappointed but also lead to depression and began despairing for life.

Subsequently Ambedkar got elected to Rajya Sabha from Bombay state with the support of other opposition parties and not Congress. Though he was performing his duties as MP, Ambedkar always wanted to be a peoples elected Member of Parliament. Then came the chance for the Congress party to rectify the mistake of opposing Ambedkar in election but the Congress under Nehru has continued with its policy of ‘no place for Ambedkar in the Lok Sabha’.

In 1954 came the Bhandara, in Vidharbaha area, constituency by election and Ambedkar announced his intention to contest. In his election campaign Ambedkar came down heavily on Nehru’s leadership, his method of governance and also his foreign policy. Nehru’s step motherly attitude towards untouchables was highlighted by Ambedkar. Nehru know the potential threat to him if Ambedkar is in the Lok Sabha. Congress party under Nehru’s instructions picked up Bhaurao Borkar to stand against Ambedkar. SCs came for Babasaheb meetings in huge numbers but Ambedkar lost the election by 8,381 votes. This was second electoral shock for Ambedkar and that was so unbearable that he died in next two year time.

Ambedkar has doubt at the way elections were conducted and he got defeated. Expressing his fears of vote chori Ambedkar wrote to the elections commission thus becoming the first candidate to file an election petition. Nehru saw that the petition was not taken up by the ECI. That is how the Congress party treated Ambedkar while he was alive.

(Author is retired professor. Views expressed are personal.)