Rajya Sabha member and economist Narendra Jadhav on Thursday described Dr. B.R. Ambedkar as a great champion of women’s rights and gender equality.
While delivering a lecture on Dr. Ambedkar’s contributions to India, as part of his ‘Ambedkar Vichara Yatra’, Mr. Jadhav said Babasaheb had resigned as Law Minister as a mark of protest when the government failed to pass the Hindu Code Bill ensuring property rights, among other things, for women.
He added that as a member of the Viceroy’s Executive Council before India got independence, Dr. Ambedkar had fought for the welfare of labourers, reducing working hours from 12 hours to 8 hours a day and introducing maternity leave. “[There is] no doubt he is the liberator of Dalits. But, he should not be restricted to the Dalits alone. He worked for the welfare of all the weaker sections. He is a true national leader,” he said.
Speaking about Ambedkar’s differences with Mahatma Gandhi, Mr. Jadhav said the former had fought for a separate electorate for Dalits, while the latter had opposed it. “At the second Round Table Conference, they had heated arguments over the issue. The British government favoured Ambedkar. Mahatma Gandhi, though he had earlier given in writing that he would accept whatever the British government would decide, went on a fast and forced Ambedkar to withdraw his demand. It was as strange move, but Ambedkar had to accept it,” Mr. Jadhav said.
Elaborating on Ambedkar’s work as chairman of the drafting committee of the Constitution, the economist said he had to work hard to fulfil his task.
Mr. Jadhav, nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the BJP government, has not joined the party. “I do not belong to any party. However, I support the BJP from outside,” he said. He has taken up a yatra, which he began from Maharashtra, to give lectures to students on Ambedkar. So far, he has held six in Karnataka.
District BJP president Yoga Ramesh, district SC Morcha president Devappa Malligevalu and others were present.
