Yesterday was the death anniversary of Ambedkar, which gave us the opportunity to remember the unsung heroes of India
The dawn of the historic 76th Independence Day has marked the beginning of the era of ‘Amrit Kaal’. The valorous saga of struggle against the British Raj and subsequently earned freedom is the outcome of the immeasurable sacrifices of unsung heroes.
Amrit Mahotsav is celebrated to mark the 75th Birthday of the sage in mythology. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has conceptualized ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ by drawing a similar parallel to Independent India’s 75th year journey. The ever-increasing public participation in Amrit Mahotsav events further pushes for the amalgamation of everything that aids in strengthening the political, social, and economic uplift of a value-driven India.
After the birth of Independent India, the pages of history remained knowingly and unknowingly skewed to celebrate specific Ideas and ideals that have shaped the India we breathe in today. The political aspiration and increasing groves of nepotism had hugely hampered the cause for crediting recognition to builders of the Nation. This opaque idealism towards their contribution might have been addressed in the short-term agenda of the then decision makers, but it became a sentimental hurt for many for a long time.
One such tallest nation builder, Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, had a similar fate as the subsequent regimes didn’t heed the wholesomeness of Ambedkar’s deed and the subsequent psychological undercurrent among his well-wishers and followers. It is a crystal clear fact that it took 34 years to posthumously award him Bharat Ratna, similar is the fate of the installation of his portrait in the Central Hall, a place where he drafted the Constitution of India. The echo of Ambedkar in the Central Hall was an echo of social, political and economic justice for newly budding independent India. The journey for installing a life-size portrait in Parliament’s Central Hall is very heartening commentary for every fellow Ambedkarite.
A brief account of the record tells a grim picture of the happenings. As Dr Ambedkar breathed last on December 6, 1956, then onwards demand for installation for the Central Hall portrait was raised by his followers.
Despite the need, Jawaharlal Nehru rejected the demand for Dr. Ambedkar’s portraits, and Moti Lal Nehru’s portrait was installed on 30 March 1957. JL Nehru’s intentions and deep-rooted superiority complex visibly come out in his remark dated July 23, 1957 on the portrait demand of Prantiya Jatav Sabha, Gwalior, wherein he says: “So far as Dr Ambedkar’s portrait is concerned, I would have no objection to its being put up in the library or somewhere else provided it is relatively small or otherwise good.”
Later, the same demand was declined again by the then Jawaharlal Nehru Portrait Parliamentary Committee on August 26, 1965, citing the unavailability of vacant panels in the central Hall. Ironically, the same unavailability turned to availability on May 5, 1966, when the Central Hall witnessed Pt Jawaharlal Nehru’s portrait.
It was time when the nation was marking the 75th birth anniversary of Dr Ambedkar. This eager demand for a central hall portrait was pacified by issuing a mere 15th paisa commemorative stamp. This indifferent attitude of the Congress government's insensitivity towards the aspiration of Dr Ambedkar’s followers further intensified their demand.
Diluting from the core idea, Dr Ambedkar’s bronze statue, received from Dr Baba Saheb Memorial Committee, was installed at Iron Gate No. 3 on 2nd April 1967. The Then Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi did not attend the statue unveiling ceremony.
Meanwhile, on November 19, 1987, the portrait of Indira Gandhi was installed in the Central Hall. At this stage, the demand for duly recognizing Baba Saheb’s portrait gets further impetus, and more and more Dalit MPs call the attention of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to confer him Bharat Ratna and Central Hall portrait. Under this pressure, the Rajiv Gandhi-led government consented to the portrait installation, and then Lok Sabha Speaker Balram Jakhar installed the central Hall portrait on August 9, 1989, which the B.R. Ambedkar Vichar Manch donated. These dynamics made it clear that this step resulted from compulsion and not by choice. It is ironic to learn that the installed portrait of Dr Amebdkar was withdrawn by succumbing to the ill-will agenda of congress leaders.
The portrait was removed from the Central Hall and found its new home in the Parliament museum along with other freedom fighters. This whole episode made a severe dent in the feelings of fans and followers of Baba Saheb. Many ambedkariate associations and Dalit MPs protested against this unruly gesture of the congress government. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a reasoned voice of opposition, was a keen observant figure of the whole portrait dynamics.
The widely held precedent that the Central Hall portrait can be displayed only for the person whose portrait/statue/ bust not already installed in Parliament estate was contravened for the Nehru family by subsequent congress regimes. It was ironic that despite these exceptions, the same precedent was argued during the consideration and delaying of Ambedkar’s Central Hall portrait.
The awakened conscience of the followers of Dr. Ambedkar remained fully intact to check the long-drawn insensitivity of the congress-led dispensation. It was in 1989 that VP Singh's government, externally supported by BJP, came to power, and Atal Bihari Vajpayee proposed to address this long pending grievance. A genuinely justified decision showed a path of light to the dark-ridden aspirations of fellow Ambedkarite, with the return of Dr Ambedkar's Portrait in the Central Hall.
The life-size portrait, made by artist Zeba Amrohawi and donated by ‘The BR Ambedkar Vichar Manch’, was unveiled by prime minister VP Singh on April 12, 1990, as part of the centenary year celebration of Ambedkar’s birth anniversary.
Notably, the earlier regimes’ exhibited biases and insensitivities in recognizing the founding father’s significant contribution compelled us to reflect on the time scale for much-needed course correction. It carries a mammoth task to unearth the harsh realities as an outcome of indifference to the aspirations of a downtrodden section of society. The phenomenon of duly recognizing effort and sacrifices is a gesture that presents a better understanding of our past and adds dimensions to rational reasoning for bringing out the best in the future generation.
The ongoing ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ is a righteous initiative of the Modi Government to express our sincere gratitude to the noble souls and all stakeholders whose unaccounted and undivided efforts are fulfilling the aspiration of the masses, enabling them to realize their full potential. It is a journey of building a value-driven India for nurturing upcoming generations. This festive occasion has brought up the spirit of independence alive again on a massive scale. Today on the death anniversary of Baba Saheb, let’s seize the opportunity by crediting due recognition to the unsung heroes of India by bringing out their hitherto untold stories.
Let the spirit of ‘Amrit Mahotsav’ take everyone to scale new heights for the Nation.
(The author is Minister of State for Culture & Parliamentary Affairs, and Lok Sabha MP from Bikaner)
