Rise & Rise of Ambedkar as an icon
3 months, 1 week ago

Rise & Rise of Ambedkar as an icon

New Indian Express  

The fracas over an insult to Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar leading to fisticuffs between the members of the ruling coalition and the opposition within the parliament complex underlined two distinctive trends. Second, over the last few decades, Ambedkar has emerged as the only leader whom all political outfits - regional and national, cutting across ideological barriers - are competing to appropriate in contemporary India. While the BJP and the Congress - the two old political formulations with pan-India footprints today - are vying with each other to claim his legacy, Ambedkar’s photographs invariably form the backdrop in the newer outfit Aam Aadmi Party’s offices, along with that of Bhagat Singh. From being a sectional leader of depressed classes, Ambedkar has emerged as a national icon - a status only Mahatma Gandhi has had in the recent Indian narrative.

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History of this topic

Ambedkar — The Penholder: Urjit Patel’s review of Narendra Jadhav’s ‘Dr. Ambedkar: The Man Who Shaped India’s Democratic Republic’
1 month, 1 week ago

Ambedkar — The Penholder: Urjit Patel’s review of Narendra Jadhav’s ‘Dr. Ambedkar: The Man Who Shaped India’s Democratic Republic’

The Hindu  

Ambedkar scholar Narendra Jadhav’s Dr. Ambedkar: The Man Who Shaped India’s Democratic Republic is a superbly researched book on the constitutionalist and rights activist’s life and work. The Chairman’s cogent counter, worthy of a master polemicist and an authority, was ‘there can hardly be anything new because the “scope” and “fundamentals” of a constitution “has long been settled” and “recognised …

Competitive adulation of B R Ambedkar
2 months, 3 weeks ago

Competitive adulation of B R Ambedkar

New Indian Express  

The recent controversy in parliament about a demeaning reference to B R Ambedkar by the home minister and the extraordinary spectacle of both Congress and BJP MPs holding duelling protests outside the House—brandishing his posters and screaming “Jai Bhim!”—offer the most recent and most dramatic confirmation yet that Ambedkar is the one Indian political figure who has grown in stature …

Congress attempts to weave Gandhi and Ambedkar’s legacies into singular narrative of social justice
2 months, 4 weeks ago

Congress attempts to weave Gandhi and Ambedkar’s legacies into singular narrative of social justice

The Hindu  

The passing away of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh put a pause to Congress’ Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan rally at Karnataka’s Belagavi on December 27. What started out as a campaign against Home Minister Amit Shah’s off-the-cuff remark - that it has become a “fashion” to invoke Dr. Ambedkar - has now been framed as a strategy to …

Not in the name of Ambedkar
3 months, 1 week ago

Not in the name of Ambedkar

Hindustan Times  

The winter session of Parliament that ended on Friday saw a new low in the functioning of the august institution as lawmakers first squabbled over their interpretations of history and then, filed police complaints alleging assault by an Opposition MP on two Treasury bench representatives. The consensus to have a four-day discussion to mark 75 years of the Indian Constitution …

The Ambedkar riddle: Where he fits into the Hindutva movement
3 months, 1 week ago

The Ambedkar riddle: Where he fits into the Hindutva movement

Op India  

A barely 10-second clip of Home Miniter Amit Shah was circulated a couple of days ago, falsely claiming that he insulted BR Ambedkar – the hottest currency in political markets for a while now – and the nation has since been debating who loves Ambedkar more. And that’s why Rahul Gandhi flashed Manusmriti in the parliament – he could not …

Kamal Haasan on Ambedkar row: Will not tolerate his legacy being tarnished
3 months, 1 week ago

Kamal Haasan on Ambedkar row: Will not tolerate his legacy being tarnished

Deccan Chronicle  

Amid a heated row over Amit Shah's remarks on Dr BR Ambedkar, Kamal Haasan called for unity and progress. Amid a row over Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remark on Dr BR Ambedkar, actor-turned-politician Kamal Hassan on Thursday said that the ideas crafted by the architect of India's Constitution should inspire progress, rather than be misused to offend people's sentiments. …

Why Ambedkar issue has got BJP scrambling
3 months, 1 week ago

Why Ambedkar issue has got BJP scrambling

India Today  

There are very few leaders who reached the status of a demigod, like Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar has. On Wednesday, a day after the remark by Shah in the Rajya Sabha, the entire BJP brass, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah himself, stepped in to counter the Opposition's allegations of "insulting Babasaheb". AAP Convenor Arvind Kejriwal responded to Prime …

How Kejriwal's Ambedkar poser for Naidu-Nitish hits Modi govt where it hurts
3 months, 1 week ago

How Kejriwal's Ambedkar poser for Naidu-Nitish hits Modi govt where it hurts

India Today  

Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal has written to Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, both crucial allies of the Narendra Modi government, to reflect on their continued support to the BJP despite Union home minister Amit Shah’s controversial remarks about B.R. Taking a swipe at the Opposition for frequently invoking Ambedkar to …

BJP, Congress engage in all-out war over Ambedkar issue, why Babasaheb matters in politics | EXPLAINED
3 months, 1 week ago

BJP, Congress engage in all-out war over Ambedkar issue, why Babasaheb matters in politics | EXPLAINED

India TV News  

Ambedkar row: The Parliament turned into a battleground on Thursday as protests led by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party MPs and leaders of the INDIA bloc, including Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi intensified over over the Ambedkar row. Protests against Amit Shah All the political slugfest started with Home Minister Amit Shah's statement on BR Ambedkar in the …

Kamal Hassan on Ambedkar row: Will not tolerate his legacy being tarnished
3 months, 1 week ago

Kamal Hassan on Ambedkar row: Will not tolerate his legacy being tarnished

India Today  

Amid a row over Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remark on Dr BR Ambedkar, actor-turned-politician Kamal Hassan on Thursday said that the ideas crafted by the architect of India's Constitution should inspire progress, rather than be misused to offend people's sentiments. This remark came as Parliament witnessed a high-voltage drama, with BJP and INDIA bloc MPs holding protests over Amit …

‘Ambedkar is not our fashion, he is our passion’
3 months, 1 week ago

‘Ambedkar is not our fashion, he is our passion’

Hindustan Times  

NAGPUR: Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remark regarding Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar rocked not only parliament, it also sparked turmoil in both houses of the state legislature, on the third day of the winter session in Nagpur on Wednesday. Jitendra Ahwad, group leader of the NCP in the assembly, remarked, “Ambedkar is not our fashion; he is our passion.” Ahwad was …

Rahul Gandhi is leading a mega-alliance against Narendra Modi in the Indian election
11 months, 1 week ago

Rahul Gandhi is leading a mega-alliance against Narendra Modi in the Indian election

ABC  

Over the last two years, he has walked the length and much of the breadth of India, been convicted for defamation, suspended from parliament, and now, had his party's funds frozen. The mighty BJP machinery, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been largely successful in labelling Rahul Gandhi "Pappu" and "Prince" throughout his political career. "Rahul Gandhi cannot claim to …

‘BR Ambedkar must be addressed as Mahatma,’ says former Karnataka CM Bommai
11 months, 2 weeks ago

‘BR Ambedkar must be addressed as Mahatma,’ says former Karnataka CM Bommai

Hindustan Times  

Former Chief Minister of Karnataka and BJP candidate for the Gadag-Haveri Lok Sabha constituency Basavaraj Bommai said Dr BR Ambedkar should be addressed as "Mahatma Ambedkar" and treading the path of the Constitution is the real way of showing respect to the nation. READ | PM Modi thanks people of Dakshina Kannada ‘for turning out in record numbers’ for roadshow …

The Lack of Political Imagination in Rahul Gandhi’s Yatras
1 year, 1 month ago

The Lack of Political Imagination in Rahul Gandhi’s Yatras

News 18  

In an election year, Congress scion Rahul Gandhi has embarked on a Nyay Yatra which has already traversed through the eastern states of India and will cover the central regions, and finally culminate in the western states. Nyay Yatra has not even found any optics or resonance with the Congress party faithfuls, let alone the masses, and with skirmishes in …

Rich tribute paid to B.R. Ambedkar 67th Mahaparinirvana Divas
1 year, 3 months ago

Rich tribute paid to B.R. Ambedkar 67th Mahaparinirvana Divas

The Hindu  

On the 67th Mahaparinirvana Divas of the architect of Indian Constitution B.R. Ambedkar, rich tributes were paid to the great leader through various programmes across the districts of Dharwad, Haveri, Gadag and Uttara Kannada on Wednesday. In the programme held by the Dharwad district administration, Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad Gurudatta Hegde, Police Commissioner Renuka Sukumar, Superintendent of Police Gopal Byakod, …

Rahul Gandhi wants to unite India, says Bhatti Vikramarka
1 year, 6 months ago

Rahul Gandhi wants to unite India, says Bhatti Vikramarka

Deccan Chronicle  

Hyderabad: CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka lauded Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for embarking on an unprecedented padayatra from Kashmir to Kanyakumari last year. Ambedkar statue at Saroornagar, Bhatti said, “Our country is a melange of castes, religions and regions. Rahul wants us to be united and work together for building the nation and embarked on this yatra.” The BJP was …

Book Review | Was Ambedkar Gandhi’s best critic or worst?
2 years, 4 months ago

Book Review | Was Ambedkar Gandhi’s best critic or worst?

Deccan Chronicle  

We have in this book an ideal introduction to Bhim Rao Ambedkar’s life and politics. He shows the humiliation that Ambedkar had to go through at all stages of his life, from school to his first job in Baroda after he returned from the United States with a highly-rated doctorate in economics from the Columbia University and again as lecturer …

Ambedkar\'s Constitution cannot be impaired, says Bommai
2 years, 5 months ago

Ambedkar\'s Constitution cannot be impaired, says Bommai

Deccan Chronicle  

BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday said that the Constitution, which was written by B.R. The Chief Minister was speaking at a function organised to lay the foundation for Dr BR Ambedkar Museum at Nagasena Vidyalaya premises in Sadashivanagar of Bengaluru on Friday. Stating that the name of Ambedkar will remain until Sun and Moon last, the Chief …

Rahul Gandhi on Bharat Jodo Yatra to be relevant: Karnataka's Basavaraj Bommai
2 years, 5 months ago

Rahul Gandhi on Bharat Jodo Yatra to be relevant: Karnataka's Basavaraj Bommai

India Today  

Rahul Gandhi is doing the Bharat Jodo Yatra to restore his political relevance in the country, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said. Speaking at the BJP Sankalp Yatra led by him and former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa today, Bommai said that although the Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, Siddaramaiah, comes from the Samajwadi background, he left the …

Shashi Tharoor's Next A Biography On Dr Ambedkar
2 years, 6 months ago

Shashi Tharoor's Next A Biography On Dr Ambedkar

News 18  

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor recently announced that he will come out with a biography of BR Ambedkar next month. In “Ambedkar: A Life”, Tharoor will He also describes the many “humiliations and hurdles” Ambedkar had to overcome in a society that stigmatised the community he was born into, and the single-minded determination with which he overcame every obstacle he encountered, …

The legacy of Ambedkar is our quest for harmony
2 years, 9 months ago

The legacy of Ambedkar is our quest for harmony

Live Mint  

If stone could speak, Ambedkar statues could tell many stories. In villages and cities segregated by caste, every Ambedkar statue—typically clad in a blue suit, a copy of the Constitution in hand and a finger raised towards a future—is a claim that India’s Dalits make on the public space, a way for long-oppressed people to affirm their equality and dignity …

‘Indians First, Indians Last’: Those Appropriating Ambedkar Never Understood Him
2 years, 11 months ago

‘Indians First, Indians Last’: Those Appropriating Ambedkar Never Understood Him

The Quint  

Babasaheb Ambedkar was born on 14 April 1891 in Mhow, a garrison town near Indore, though his family hailed from Maharashtra. But all those who extol Ambedkar for votes should also try to explore the intellectual and political ideas he left behind. This is particularly essential today when some of us are busy defining the identity of our fellow citizens, …

Rahul Gandhi says Kerala's politics not superficial, BJP accuses him of 'dividing India'
4 years, 1 month ago

Rahul Gandhi says Kerala's politics not superficial, BJP accuses him of 'dividing India'

India Today  

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi courted controversy over remarks he delivered at a rally in Kerala on Tuesday. The Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad, Rahul Gandhi said he was used to a "different type of politics" when he was representing Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. Recalling a recent interaction, Rahul Gandhi said to the crowd that he told students from the US …

Bhimrao Ambedkar Death Anniversary: Inspirational Quotes by the Father of Indian Constitution
4 years, 3 months ago

Bhimrao Ambedkar Death Anniversary: Inspirational Quotes by the Father of Indian Constitution

News 18  

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar remains one of the most influential figures in India’s democracy. Popularly known as Babasaheb, Ambedkar donned several hats and contributed immensely towards shaping the first draft of the constitution. On the occasion of B R Ambedkar’s death anniversary, we take a look at some of his most inspiring quotes: – Humans are mortal. – Political tyranny is …

Relevance of Ambedkar
4 years, 4 months ago

Relevance of Ambedkar

The Hindu  

In the centenary year of his birth, Babasaheb Ambedkar stands taller than he ever did before his role in the struggle for a modern, new India gaining steadily in weight, stature and centrality at the expense of various other outstanding national figures who were contemporaries and opponents in the great battles of the freedom movement era. There may be various …

Dr Ambedkar: A Nationalist and visionary wrongly appropriated by Left
4 years, 11 months ago

Dr Ambedkar: A Nationalist and visionary wrongly appropriated by Left

Op India  

Whenever life throws up challenges and puts our spirits down, our hearts and minds are on the lookout for an inspiration. Ambedkar says that Manu’s work ended with the “codification of existing caste rules and the preaching of Caste Dharma.” For all the hatred that is perpetrated against one community, especially in Tamil Nadu, the following quote from Ambedkar might …

India and the Indian: Will we never be able to achieve consensus on being legitimately Indian, writes Aakash Singh Rathore
5 years, 9 months ago

India and the Indian: Will we never be able to achieve consensus on being legitimately Indian, writes Aakash Singh Rathore

Firstpost  

Swept away by the exclusivistic sense of the nation, we, in our fear and weakness, are permitting it to define who gets to be a bona fide Indian — always with tragic consequences. Indeed, his life story reveals that a former ‘untouchable’ seems to require some sort of visa, granted as a privilege and not a right, in order to …

Ambedkar Jayanti: Political leaders pay tribute to B R Ambedkar on his anniversary
5 years, 11 months ago

Ambedkar Jayanti: Political leaders pay tribute to B R Ambedkar on his anniversary

India TV News  

The whole nation is observing the 128th birth anniversary of the father of Indian constitution and so the politicians are. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind, Congress President Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee, Suresh Prabhu, and many others paid tribute to Baba Saheb Ambedkar. They took to their social media handles to pay tribute to …

Ambedkar Jayanti: Current politics of polarisation, hero worship could have disappointed Constitution's architect
5 years, 11 months ago

Ambedkar Jayanti: Current politics of polarisation, hero worship could have disappointed Constitution's architect

Firstpost  

For Ambedkar, the constitutional pillars of liberty, equality and fraternity could operate only in a trinity and could not be divorced from each other. If BR Ambedkar, Dalit leader and architect of the Indian Constitution, were alive today as the 90-crore strong electorate votes to elect its next set of leaders who would govern the country, he would be surprised …

Ambedkar Jayanti: Why Rohith Vemula was a truer Ambedkarite than any politician will ever be
7 years, 11 months ago

Ambedkar Jayanti: Why Rohith Vemula was a truer Ambedkarite than any politician will ever be

Firstpost  

Come 14 April and the politics of appropriating, or misappropriating, Ambedkar’s legacy gathers momentum. While Ambedkar, who liked to be identified as a political liberal, tirelessly batted for the complete ‘annhilation of caste,’ Vemula too in his parting letter to the world, lamented the fact that “the value of a man was reduced to his immediate identity and nearest possibility.” …

BJP’s love for Dr BR Ambedkar is superficial like Congress' and circumvents his core ideas
7 years, 11 months ago

BJP’s love for Dr BR Ambedkar is superficial like Congress' and circumvents his core ideas

Firstpost  

While the BJP, after selectively appropriating Dr BR Ambedkar like the Congress and the Leftist parties, is masquerading as his apostle, the fact remains that it is just political tokenism that circumvents his core ideas. The BJP — that now has an absolute majority in the Lok Sabha — like the Congress had under leaders like Indira Gandhi, has appropriated …

RSS says Dalit icon BR Ambedkar never represented any caste, favoured religion and was pro-Vedic
8 years, 2 months ago

RSS says Dalit icon BR Ambedkar never represented any caste, favoured religion and was pro-Vedic

Firstpost  

In the latest of the many “correct the past” assertions, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh recently stated that contrary to what is believed, Ambedkar was never opposed to the Vedic religion and didn’t represent any caste, The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has many records to set straight, especially from its past. The Hindu nationalist organisation, perhaps in order to appeal to the …

United Nations describes Ambedkar as global icon for marginalised people
8 years, 11 months ago

United Nations describes Ambedkar as global icon for marginalised people

Hindustan Times  

Describing BR Ambedkar as a global “icon” for marginalised people, a top UN official has voiced the world body’s commitment to working closely with India to help realise the noted Indian social reformer’s vision of empowerment and social and economic equality. “On behalf of the UN Development Programme, I commend India on celebrating this important anniversary at the UN,” UNDP …

The prescience of Babasaheb Ambedkar
8 years, 11 months ago

The prescience of Babasaheb Ambedkar

The Hindu  

The >125th birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. In 21st century India where the architecture of the economy is dominated by corporate and finance capital in alliance with the political formations championing the cause of so-called nationalism, it is extremely critical to recall the analysis of Ambedkar indicting the sole profit-making pursuits at the cost of people’s interests. It is instructive …

The relevance of Ambedkar
9 years, 11 months ago

The relevance of Ambedkar

The Hindu  

AS democratic India prepares to celebrate the 125th year of his birth, Babasaheb Ambedkar stands taller than he ever did before—his role in the struggle for a modern, democratic, and socially just India greatly enhanced at the expense of various other outstanding national figures who were contemporaries and opponents during the great battles of the freedom movement era. Unfortunately, some …

Rescuing Ambedkar from pure Dalitism: He would've been India's best Prime Minister
9 years, 11 months ago

Rescuing Ambedkar from pure Dalitism: He would've been India's best Prime Minister

Firstpost  

Ambedkar’s legacy is far more than just Dalit iconhood. But in politics, bhakti or hero-worship is a sure road to degradation and to eventual dictatorship.” It is surmised that Ambedkar may have had Gandhi or Nehru in mind when he wrote this, but this statement is truer today of Dalit parties than anyone else. Patel died too soon after Independence …

RSS on BR Ambedkar: He is a 'nationalist' with 'right perspective' | IndiaTV News
9 years, 11 months ago

RSS on BR Ambedkar: He is a 'nationalist' with 'right perspective' | IndiaTV News

India TV News  

New Delhi: As Congress and BJP vie for appropriating BR Ambedkar's legacy, RSS is seeking to project him as a "nationalist" leader with a "holistic" view and his caution against the threat of political Islam by bringing out a publication on him on his 125th birth anniversary. RSS mouthpiece 'Organiser' and 'Panchjanya' are coming out with a "collector's edition" of …

Ambedkar and Gandhi
10 years, 8 months ago

Ambedkar and Gandhi

The Hindu  

THE seminal text Annihilation of Caste, which Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar self-published almost 78 years ago, was republished by Navayana Publishing Pvt. The way Ambedkar’s speech was aimed at an upper-caste audience to jolt it into seeing the “veritable chamber of horrors” that Hinduism is for Dalits, women and other suppressed groups in society, this new edition, it would seem, is …

A modern-day enlightenment
10 years, 11 months ago

A modern-day enlightenment

The Hindu  

In recent months there has been a vociferous demand from some sections of Dalit intellectual and Ambedkarite opinion that the ideas of Dr. B.R. In his classic essay, “Self-Purification v/s Self-Respect: On the Roots of the Dalit Movement”, Professor Nagaraj made several important points: first, that it was Gandhi who initially grasped untouchability as a political problem ; second, that …

UP Gov, CM greet people on eve of Ambedkar Jayanti
11 years, 11 months ago

UP Gov, CM greet people on eve of Ambedkar Jayanti

India TV News  

Lucknow, Apr 13: Uttar Pradesh governor B L Joshi and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today extended their good wishes to the people on the eve of 122nd birth anniversary of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar. In his message, the governor said Ambedkar dedicated his entire life in the service of the deprived sections of society. His services towards the mankind will …

Political language has to change
13 years ago

Political language has to change

Live Mint  

When the process of accelerated liberalization of the Indian economy was implemented in 1991, society underwent a tremendous upheaval as the process unleashed multiple rounds of changes, both negative and positive. The other important mainstream political party of India, the Bharatiya Janata Party, too, could not evolve a political language for addressing the new challenges facing Indian society under the …

Relevance of Ambedkar
15 years, 2 months ago

Relevance of Ambedkar

The Hindu  

IN the centenary year of his birth, Babasaheb Ambedkar stands taller than he ever did before his role in the struggle for a modern, new India gaining steadily in weight, stature and centrality at the expense of various other outstanding national figures who were contemporaries and opponents in the great battles of the freedom movement era. On international questions and …

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