State the political achievements of Dr. Ambedkar.
Answers
Upon returning to India, he worked as the Defence Secretary for the Princely State of Baroda. However, the work was not easy for him as he was often ridiculed and castigated for being an untouchable.
Quitting the profile of military minister, he took up jobs as a private tutor and accountant. He even established a consultancy business which doomed due to his social status. He finally found himself a teaching position at the Sydenham College of Commerce and Economic in Mumbai.
Being a victim of caste discrimination inspired him to uplift the pitiable state of the untouchables in the society. Thus, with the help of the Maharaja of Kolhapur, he founded a weekly journal, ‘Mooknayak’, which criticized the orthodox beliefs of Hindus and the reluctance of politicians to fight against the discrimination.
Accumulating enough wealth, he moved to London to complete his education. In 1921, he attained his Master’s degree from the London School of Economics. Two years later, he acquired his D.Sc.in Economics. Completing his law studies, he was admitted to the British bar as a barrister.
Returning to India, he started working as a legal professional in the country. His passion for eradicating the practice of caste discrimination led him to found the ‘Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha’. The main aim of the organization was to provide education and socio-economic improvement to the backward class.
In 1925, he was appointed to Bombay Presidency Committee to work under the All-European Simon Commission. The commission reports were thrashed by the Congress who set up its own version of the Constitution of free India.
In 1927, he actively worked against untouchability. Instead of taking the route of violence, he walked on the footsteps of Gandhi and led a satyagraha movement, fighting for the rights of untouchables to access the main water source and enter the temples.
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar paved way for the eradication of the discrimination based on caste system. He authored the largest constitution for India. He was the only freedom fighter to have fought for freedom of all Indians.
He paved way for shudras, the minority class to who were granted the right to own property. Female infanticide was banned completely. Slavery abolished. Right to education for all granted. Punishments according to caste system became illegal.
Human sacrifices made illegal. Untouchables were given right to sit on chair. Sati was banned. It is a system in which the widow is also burnt alive with deceased husband.