Ambedkar
adopted the following principles in his political thinking: recognition of the
force of nationalism; crusade for social, economic and political freedom in
terms of liberty, equality and fraternity; a dislike for any type of
imperialism-political, social, economic or religious; a commitment to
constitutional methods as the only way, a detestation for violence and a love
for justice and peace; a bias for democratic dynamism which sees man as the
maker of civilisation and culture and as having the potential to rise on the
basis of love and knowledge. Ambedkar had submitted to the R.T.C. a scheme of
political safeguards for the protection of the Depressed Classes in the future
Constitution of a self-governing India. He demanded : (1) equal citizenship and
fundamental rights; (2) declaring the practice of 'untouchability' as illegal;
(3) free enjoyment of 'Equal Rights' protected by adequate constitutional
remedies; (4) protection against discrimination; (5) adequate representation of
the Depressed Classes in the Legislatures; adult suffrage and separate
electorates to the Depressed Classes for ten years; (6) adequate representation
in services; (7) redress against prejudicial action or neglect of
interests-facilities for education, etc.; (8) special departmental care,
special minister and welfare bureaus; and (9) seat in the Cabinet. If we
examine the above demands, we can clearly remark that all these have been
already brought into practice--thanks to the untiring efforts of Ambedkar and
progressive democratic traditions of Indian nationalism. The Karachi Congress
Resolution on fundamental rights was passed as early as April 1931. Gandhiji
made removal of untouchability as one of the important programmes of the
national movement. He said in 1920, "Without the removal of that taint,
swaraj is meaningless."
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