On the anniversary of B. R. Ambedkar’s birth, former Congress leader Sonia Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the government, saying that the current administration is “misusing and subverting” the institutions of the Constitution and that the populace must take action to protect it from this “systematic assault.”
Gandhi said in a piece published in The Telegraph on the occasion of Ambedkar’s 132nd birthday that the people who are really “anti-nationals” today are those who are abusing their influence to pit Indians against one another on the basis of caste, language, religion, and gender.
The president of the Congress parliamentary party remarked, “As we honor Babasaheb’s legacy today, we must recall his prophetic warning that the success of the Constitution rests on the behavior of the individuals entrusted with the responsibility to rule.”
She said that the current administration is eroding the Constitution’s pillars of liberty, equality, fraternity, and justice by exploiting and subverting its institutions.
Gandhi said that equality is “assaulted” by “favoured treatment to selected friends” in every sector, even though the great majority of Indians are experiencing economic hardship, and that freedom is “threatened” by using the law improperly to harass individuals rather than to safeguard their rights.
“Fraternity is undermined by creating a climate of hostility and pitting Indians against one another. By exerting consistent pressure on the judges, the resulting injustice is exacerbated, according to Gandhi.
People need to take action at this point in our country’s history to protect the Constitution from this “systematic attack,” she added.
At this crucial moment, all Indians—political parties, unions, organizations, and people acting alone or in groups—must play their respective roles. The life and struggles of Dr. Ambedkar impart important lessons that might act as a guide, according to the former Congress president. She said that the first lesson is to engage in spirited discussion and disagreement, but eventually come together for the sake of the country.
Sharp differences between Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Ambedkar, Sardar Patel, and many others can be seen throughout the history of India’s liberation movement, she pointed out.
These discussions generate attention because they provide a variety of viewpoints on important issues pertaining to the future, she said.
Yet we must not lose sight of the fact that, in the end, all the notable men and women who fought for our freedom contributed to our independence and helped to create our country. Their ups and downs at various points simply serve to highlight the fact that they were fellow travelers and fully aware of this, according to Gandhi.
She said that Dr. Ambedkar’s actions as the head of the Constituent Assembly’s drafting committee serve as an example of this idea.
The second lesson, according to her, is to foster a sense of camaraderie, which she described as the foundation of the country.
According to her, “Babasaheb profoundly believed in the need of fostering an Indian brotherhood as one people, adding that “without fraternity, equality and liberty would be no deeper than coats of paint.”
Gandhi remembered that in his last address, he spoke about how the caste system undermines national unity and referred to it as “anti-national.”
The caste system is “anti-national” because it causes division, breeds resentment, and animosity, or, to put it another way, because it pits Indians against one another, she added. “This word is misused by people in power now, but Dr. Ambedkar defined its genuine meaning,” she said.
The people who abuse their authority to pit Indians against one another on the basis of caste, language, religion, and gender are today’s true “anti-nationals,” according to this statement. Happily, despite the regime’s attempts, Indians have a strong feeling of brotherhood, Gandhi said.
She cited the actions of millions of Indians from all walks of life, including those who protested against religious intolerance, spoke out for farmers’ livelihoods, and assisted one another as much as they could during the COVID-19 pandemic, as evidence that the country has a strong sense of brotherhood.
In our homes, neighborhoods, and workplaces, “we must constantly foster this feeling of brotherhood and protect it against threats,” she stated. Gandhi said that the third lesson from Ambedkar is to never give up on the pursuit of social and economic justice.
“Dr. Ambedkar fought for the rights of Dalits as well as those of other marginalized people and groups. The Constitution’s flexible and wide-ranging framework for disadvantaged groups and minorities has made it possible to take proactive steps for their welfare, she pointed out.
The difficulties in guaranteeing social fairness now take on new shapes. While the prosperity has improved as a result of the economic reforms the Congress administration enacted in 1991, economic disparity is currently rising, according to Gandhi.
She stated that the reservation system, which provided security and social mobility to Dalits, Adivasis, and OBCs, is becoming more restrictive due to the “reckless privatization” of public sector organizations.
According to her, the emergence of new technology is endangering livelihoods while simultaneously offering prospects for improved organization and more equality.
In these modern times, Gandhi stated, “the task is to act on our principles in both our public and private lives and learn from Babasaheb Ambedkar.”
At the Constituent Assembly, Babasaheb Ambedkar said the following: “If we desire to maintain the Constitution… let us resolve neither to be tardy in recognizing the ills that lay across our path… nor to be weak in our effort to remove them.” The only way to serve the nation is in that manner. I’m unaware of any better. Gandhi said, “These words must be our commitment in the years to come.”
She said that all Indians continue to find inspiration in Ambedkar’s extraordinary life.