Ranbir Singh Pathania
“Constitutional morality is not a natural sentiment. It has to be cultivated.” – Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
As India crosses the milestone of 75 years of independence, Ambedkar Jayanti celebrations fanning out across the country, one question echoes with increasing urgency: What did we do with Ambedkar’s dream?
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar did not merely give India a Constitution; he offered a moral compass-a blueprint for a society liberated from caste, class oppression, capital tyranny and authoritarianism. Yet, this vision has been misinterpreted, diluted, and at times, deliberately ignored. The result? A nation fractured along lines of inequality, exclusion, and intolerance.
Here’s how New India strayed from Ambedkar’s path:
Liberalization and the Great Exclusion
India’s 1991 economic liberalization marked a turning point. While it boosted GDP, it also deepened social and economic exclusion. For Dalits and the working poor, the free-market era was not liberation-it was marginalization.
Ambedkar had forewarned against unregulated capitalism. He envisioned the state as a protector of the oppressed-not an enabler of corporate monopolies. But instead of reinforcing its social responsibility, the state began retreating-privatizing education, healthcare, and public sector employment-leaving the vulnerable behind.
Neglect of Land Reforms and Redistribution
Ambedkar called for state ownership of agricultural land and equitable redistribution to ensure social justice. But post-independence India delivered only half-hearted reforms, entrenching rural poverty.
In Jammu and Kashmir, land reforms were selectively applied. Zamindars in Jammu were stripped of holdings under ceiling laws, while orchardists in Kashmir remained untouched. This undermined the very spirit of reform and weaponized it against politically inconvenient groups.
Ignoring Industrialization with Social Safeguards
Ambedkar believed in state-led industrialization, but with labor protection and agricultural modernization. Instead, successive policies prioritized a mixed economy that disproportionately benefited the elite, bypassing Ambedkar’s vision of cooperative and inclusive development.
Exclusion from Economic Planning
Despite his credentials, Ambedkar was sidelined from the Nehruvian economic framework. The Planning Commission never internalized his principles of equitable development, dignity of labor, and participatory governance. His radical economic proposals were shelved, leaving a void in our economic conscience.
Tokenism over Transformation
Reservations were implemented, but the parallel reforms Ambedkar demanded-such as caste annihilation, moral education, and administrative overhaul-were left out. As a result, caste became a political tool, not a social justice instrument.
Political Marginalization of His Democratic Ideals
a) Monopolization by Elites
Ambedkar’s dream of “one man, one vote, one value” was subverted by elite capture of political power. Political education of the masses-a cause he championed-remained ignored.
b) Collapse of the Republican Ethos
He envisioned democracy not as a mere governance model, but as a social ethic rooted in liberty, equality, and fraternity. Failure to inculcate this ethos fostered casteism, communalism, and systemic corruption.
c) Dismissal of Alternative Political Thought
His Republican Party of India and similar progressive voices were pushed to the margins, as majoritarian and populist politics took center stage-often ignoring the very people Ambedkar fought for.
Eclipsing from Academia and National Discourse
For decades, Ambedkar’s writings on religion, nationalism, economics, and social justice were either ignored or selectively quoted. The mainstream academic and policy-making space failed to engage with his ideas in depth, depriving generations of a transformative canon.
Erosion of Constitutional Morality
India’s drift from Ambedkar’s ideals is not just a matter of historical injustice-it is a living, bleeding failure. Each time we suppress dissent, fail the marginalized, or privilege dogma over democracy, we move farther from the Republic he envisioned.
Statues cannot substitute moral courage. Slogans do not create justice. Only a return to Ambedkar’s original values-social justice, constitutional morality, and economic democracy-can save India from its own undoing.
“In India, bhakti or hero-worship is a sure road to degradation and to eventual dictatorship.”- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
Education and Culture: Still in Chains
Ambedkar believed education was the “milk of a lioness”-a force that gives the oppressed the courage to roar. Yet, education remains inequitable, and cultural institutions continue to privilege orthodoxy over rationalism.
Conclusion: A Legacy Yet to Be Realized
India has squandered a historic opportunity by failing to fully absorb and implement Ambedkar’s model. His ideals weren’t meant solely for the Dalits-they were a blueprint for a just, modern, and inclusive Republic.
Statues are no substitute for moral courage. Slogans cannot replace social justice. If India is to reclaim its soul, it must return to the constitutional morality, economic democracy, and social equity that Ambedkar envisioned.
(The author is an Advocate at the J&K High Court and Member, J&K Legislative Assembly.)
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