– Ramesh Chander

(Samaj Weekly)- It is a matter of gratification to note that, of late, Ambedkar Jayanti, April 14, is increasingly becoming a national holiday in India and beyond. The fact of the matter is that the lofty ideals of ‘Equality, Liberty, Justice and Fraternity’ which is core of Ambedkar’s legacy is slowly but steadily taking roots in the Indian society which is generally inflicted with an undercurrent of ‘caste based graded inequalities’ over the centuries. The world at large aspires to establish an ‘Equitable World Order’ for global peace and harmony. Many prominent cities, states and provinces of many developed countries like Canada, the USA, the UK, Australia among others have, taking cue from the proposal of April 14 as International Day of Equality under the aegis of the UN, have declared the day as ‘Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Day of Equality in their respective areas. With every passing day, more and more people and organizations are joining the caravan and rightly so. I live in Jalandhar where Ambedkar Jayanti is traditionally celebrated with all solemnity and dedication to pay respects and tributes to one of the greatest sons of India in the contemporary times, Babasaheb Ambedkar. But this year, I went to Phagwara to join celebrations on April 14. Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha and Dr. Ambedkar Cultural and Literary Activities Center of Urban Estate of Phagwara kindly invited me to the function as the Chief Guest and Lead Speaker which I accepted with pleasure. It was a rewarding visit. Thanks to my hosts; Jagan Nath Bansal, Ghansham, Sarwan Ram Birha and their associates at Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha. It was a befitting function to remember Babasaheb Ambedkar. The missionary singer, Dharminder, an apparently educated and trained presenter, made the audience spell bound and fully charged the atmosphere. Ghansham ji welcoming the guests briefed the audience about the activities of the Sabha and Center and said that it was a matter of satisfaction for them that over the last more than two decades they had been able to create good facilities – cultural, educational, recreational and spiritual, for the community in and around Phagwara as an agenda to ‘pay back to the society’.  A social and community activist, Jagdish Dalia in his brief remarks appreciated the educational and training facilities to the young students and aspiring job seekers being arranged by Guru Ravidass Sabha and Ambedkar Center besides their various other activities. A stage presentation as a Natak – Lacchu Kabadia – by talented professionals from Desh Bhagat Yaadgar of Jalandhar was engaging and relevant to the prevailing socio-economic scenario in the country and the society at large and was much appreciative by the discerning audience. 

Though I was designated as the lead speaker yet I decided to speak briefly as the audience was comprised of well informed and highly placed professionals and intelligentsia of the community. There was no need to burden them with routine and trivial details. While paying my humble tributes to Babasaheb and greeting my fellow citizens on the Ambedkar Jyanti I said that it was a matter of satisfaction that amidst the turbulent times in the last 75 years since our independence in 1947, India that is Bharat could remain India because of the constitution of India given by our forefathers under the stewardship of Babasaheb Ambedkar and added that we need not bother and worry about the often raised boggy of changing the constitution by some vested interests. I don’t think any

such misadventure is likely to be undertaken by anyone. But if it happened so, it would clearly usher India into “Grammar of Anarchy” as warned by Babasaheb Ambedkar in the Constituent Assembly in his last speech on November 25, 1949. The said situation might lead to a revolution; hopefully a ‘velvet’ one and not a ‘bloody’ one. Ambedkar stood for a peaceful and harmonious transformation of the polity and the society. The second issue I mentioned was the increasing international profile of Babasaheb Ambedkar with reference to April 14 as the International Day of Equality and solicited the much needed support of the organizations like Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha and others. I assured the audience that, though the Government of India was blissfully sleeping on the proposal as yet, we would not leave any stone unturned to see that the International Day of Equality becomes a reality; sooner than later. My latest blog on the subject may be seen at: http://diplomatictitbits.blogspot.com/2023/04/international-day-of-equality-when-will.html

The function was concluded with yet another praiseworthy and appreciable activity of the Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha – recognizing and encouraging the school students from the local and peripheral schools by giving them mementos and cash prizes for doing well in their studies as a befitting tribute to Babasaheb Ambedkar. I could feel that Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha was one of well run organizations in the area and wish that others learn from them to strengthen the resolve to ‘pay back to the society.