KARACHI, April 14: Speakers called Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar a leader who spent his life to establish a classless and casteless Indian Subcontinent. The programme was held on Saturday to observe the 116th birth anniversary.
Born on April 14, 1891, Dr Ambedkar, popularly called Babasahib Ambedkar, was a Buddhist revivalist, Indian jurist, scholar and Bahujan political leader and the chief architect of the Indian Constitution. Born into a poor ‘untouchable’ community, he spent his life fighting against the Indian caste system. He is also credited with starting the Dalit Buddhist movement. Ambedkar has the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, given for the highest degree of national service.
The programme, ‘I Am Untouchable’ was organised by the Pakistan Institute of Professional Sciences’ Social Forum at a local hotel. The speakers were Dr Suryanarayan Ransubhe, Fakhrudin Bannur, Mangla Sharma and Dr Pradeep Aglave from India. Justice (retd) Majida Rizvi, Dr Fateh Mohammad Burfat, Shamim Kazmi, Ghazi Salahuddin and Rana Saba from Pakistan spoke at length about various aspects of Dr Ambedkar’s life. Advisor to chief minister for Auqaf and religious affairs Kishinchand Parwani,, was the chief guest.
The Indian speakers said Dr Ambedkar was one of the first 'untouchables' to obtain a college education in India and then pursued higher studies in UK where he earned degrees in law and multiple doctorates.
The speakers called him a socio-political reformer who left a deep impact on modern India. In post-independence India his socio-political thought has acquired respect across the political spectrum. His initiatives have influenced various spheres of life and transformed the way India looks today at socio-economic policies, education and affirmative action through socio-economic and legal incentives.
His reputation as a scholar led to his appointment as India's first law minister who led a committee to draft the country’s constitution. His work guaranteed political, economic and social freedoms for untouchables and other ethnic, social and religious communities of India. He passionately believed in the freedom of the individual and criticised orthodox caste-based Hindu society.
The speakers said Dr Ambedkar’s conversion to Buddhism in 1956 caused a huge impact on society and thereafter mass conversion ceremonies were organised by Dalit activists. One such ceremony is scheduled in Mumbai next month in which about one million Hindus will convert to Buddhism, said a speaker.
