Sunday, October 31, 2010

I am no way ashamed of my hatred

3 comments:

gaddeswarup said...

Thanks for reminding us about this contribution of Ambedkar. I looked up a few references including Guha's "India after Gandhi". He says on pages 239 and 240:
"After a bruising battle over nearly ten years, B.R. Ambedkar's Hindu code Bill was passed into law; not, as he had hoped in one fell swoop, but in several instalments.." Nehru's tribute in 1956 says that Ambedkar would be remembered "as a symbol of revolt against all the oppressive features of Hindu society". But he "will be remembered also for the great interest and the trouble he took over the question of Hindu law reform. I am happy that he saw that reform in a very large measure carried out, perhaps not in the form of that monumental tome that he had himself drafted, but in separate bits"
Nehru seemed to have postponed the passing of the bill because of opposition from many Congress leaders like Pant, Patel and above all the then president Prasad and even consulted experts about the possibility of the President blocking the bill.
According to Guha, among the notable features of the legislation (also applicable to Sikhs, Budhists, Jains...):
"1. The awarding, to the widow and daughter, of the same share as the son(s) in the property of a man dying instate (which in the past had passed only to his male heirs). likewise, A Hindu woman's estate, previously limited, was now made absolute, to be disposed of as she wished.
2.The granting of maintenance to the wife who chose to live separately from her husband if he had a 'loathsome disease'. was cruel to her, took a concubine, etc.
3. Abolition of the rules of caste and sub-caste in sanctifying a marriage...All inter-caste marriages could now be solemnized in accordance with the customs and rites of either party.
4. Allowing either partner to file for and obtain a divorce on certain grounds, such as cruelty, infidelity, incurable disease, etc.
5. Making monogamy mandatory.
6. Allowing for the adoption of children belonging to a different caste."

Kathi Mahesh Kumar said...

@గద్దేస్వరూప్: అంబేద్కర్ ఒక విప్లవం. ఒక జాతికేకాదు ఈ దేశానికే గర్వకారణం. కానీ అతను దళితుడు కావడం వల్ల ఇప్పటికీ అగ్రకులభావజాలం ఒక threat గా పరిగణించి contributions ని తక్కువ చేసి చూపించే ప్రయత్నం చేస్తోంది. They should remember that loosing Ambedkar is loosing themselves and going back to primitive religions harmful to humanity.

gaddeswarup said...

I agree. He is one of the people that I admire along with Gandhi and Nehru though they had their disagreements. I do not know why Bahat Ratna was awarded so late to him.