"An ideal society should be mobile, should be full of channels for conveying a change taking place in one part to other parts. In an ideal society, there should be many interests consciously communicated and shared..."
"So long as you do not achieve social liberty, whatever freedom is provided by the law is of no avail to you..."
"A great man is different from an eminent one in that he is ready to be the servant of the society..."
"So long as you do not achieve social liberty, whatever freedom is provided by the law is of no avail to you..."
"Political tyranny is nothing compared to the social tyranny and a reformer who defies society is a more courageous man than a politician who defies Government..."
"Political democracy cannot last unless there lies at the base of it social democracy. What does social democracy mean? It means a way of life which recognizes liberty, equality and fraternity as the principles of life..."
"Democracy is not merely a form of government. It is primarily a mode of associated living, of conjoint communicated experience. It is essentially an attitude of respect and reverence towards fellow men..."
"What are we having this liberty for? We are having this liberty in order to reform our social system, which is full of inequality, discrimination and other things, which conflict with our fundamental rights..."
"Unlike a drop of water which loses its identity when it joins the ocean, man does not lose his being in the society in which he lives. Man's life is independent. He is born not for the development of the society alone, but for the development of his self..."
"I like the religion that teaches liberty, equality and fraternity..."
Yes, you guessed it right! These are the pearls of wisdom by one of the greatest minds from the past who was an ardent Educationist, a strategic Economist, an Independent thinker, a steadfast Social Reformist and an evolved and enlightened human being who has reached the top of Maslow’s Pyramid in his Self-Actualization state… also one of the most misunderstood historical character, in many ways, confined only to his rebellious works of caste annihilation or incredible contribution to designing the Constitution of Independent India to make it a Modern one.
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar was a multi-talented and ever-evolving generous soul that committed its life for liberty, equality
and fraternity. Mahatma Gandhi used to advocate the theory of empowering
villages by inhabiting there and making them independent as the smallest self-sufficient
unit of a large nation. While Dr. Ambedkar required the village youth to move
out and migrate to cities for a better and decent living.
Many historians, political
analysts and people who claim to be followers of these Stalwarts of Humanity but seem to have completely failed to understand their teaching, somehow find
it interesting to juxtapose these seemingly contradictory stands of these two
great souls whose contribution in Social Reforms as well as Independent India
is enormous.
However if looked at it from a subtle perspective, Dr. Ambedkar
was not against villages but he loathed the caste-system that was the central
force of organizing community at villages and to him cities, being economically-driven
rather than social-systems-oriented, seemed to be more open, liberal and inclusive in
comparison. At the core both these noble souls wanted their people to be free,
learned, equal and serve the society in the best of their capacities.
In the scenario of
Democratic System of Governance for Independent India, politics took the driving seat and trusteeship
along with socialism flied out of the window sooner than these visionary masters
envisaged it to go out of practice. Caste-systems remained the forte of politics and the new evolved and smart crop of
politicians born in Independent India was too shrewd to take the path of their predecessors
and chose to reinforce the caste-systems for socio-economic political purposes by resolving to make their 'valued' forefathers immortal by hanging them in decorative frames on the
walls of Government offices and making them standstill in those sky-high
statues enthusing tourist and adding the tourist revenue to the GDP for development
of the nation, selectively!
Today, on 128th
Birth Anniversary of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, it would be most prudent of the
gesture if we try and learn what he meant by all those quotes that are not only
quotable but notable! When Dr. Ambedkar said, ‘Get out of villages and move to
the cities…’ by village he meant the poor mentality of confined social structure
and the city he imagined is one that is like Auroville – Magnum Opus of Humanity – described in the video above.
Let us hope to have more 'Auroville's and less 'Delhi's in the Independent Nation as our forefathers envisaged it and pay them real tribute by living the way they believed it to be the
real path, growth and independence of humanity…!
Having a rational view of everything and casting your vote in the democratic system of governance is the epitome of being progressive human according to Dr. Ambedkar... Don't forget to vote and pay him tribute by being a citizen of his dreams...
Way to go…!
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