DEMOCRACY IN INDIA-DR.AMBEDKAR

'Democracy in India' is an extract from the speech made by Dr.B.R.Ambedkar after the Indian Constitution was drafted and read in the Constituent Assembly. According to Ambedkar, political freedom without equality in social and economic life has little value. In this extract, he talks about the charges against constitution and expresses his fears about maintaining the new born democracy. He also discusses the tasks lying ahead of the Indians after independence.
Dr.Ambedkar points to certain specific charges in the constitution and gives a detailed explanation for them. The first charge is that there is too much of centralization and the states have been reduced to municipalities. Ambedkar rejects this charge saying that it is an exaggerated view based on the misunderstanding of the constitution. The second change that the centre has been given the power to over-ride the states is admitted. The overriding power- use and operation are expressly confined to emergencies only. That is, these are not in the normal feature of the constitution. Quoting an extract form The Round Table, he says that when an emergency is declared, the loyalty of the citizens must be to the centre and not to the states.

Ambedkar expresses his fears and doubts over the maintenance of Indian independence. As he says, India lost her independence by the
infidelity and treachery of her own people. The commanders of king Dahar during the invasion of Sind by Mohammed Bin Kasim accepted bribes and did not fight on the side of the king. Jaichand was responsible for Mohammed Gori’s invasion of India and the resultant fight against Prithiviraj when Shivaji fought for the liberation of Hindus, the other maratha noblemen and Rajput kings took sides with the Mogul Emperors. Gulab Singh was silent when the Britishers tried to destroy the Sikhs. In
1857, the Sikhs watched the war of Independence as silent spectators. These are examples of treachery India has witnessed in the past. In this context, Ambedkar appeals to the Indians to the place the country above their creed. We must be determined to defend our independence with the last drop our blood.
The second thought or fear that comes to Dr.Ambedkar’s mind is whether India will be able to maintain her democratic constitution.
According to him, democracy is not new to India. India had many republics and even where there were monarchies they were elected or limited. Parliaments or parliamentary procedures could be found in the Buddhist Bhiksh sanghas . The sanghas were nothing but the present day Parliaments. They observed all the rules of Parliamentary procedures known to modern times: Motions, Resolutions, Quorum, Censure motions etc. But there was no democracy for quite a long time. Because of its long disuse, Ambedkar expresses the fear that there is danger of democracy giving place to dictatorship. Hence we must maintain democracy not merely in form but also in fact.
According to Dr.B.R.Ambedkar, there is danger of democracy giving place to dictatorship. If we want to maintain democracy, we must hold fast to constitutional methods. We must abandon the method of civil disobedience, non cooperation, and Satyagraha. As there are constitutional methods open for us now. We must avoid unconstitutional methods to achieve economic and social objectives.
The second thing to maintain democracy is that we must observe the caution given by John Stuart Mill. That is, we have to avoid bhakthi or hero worship in politics. Bhakthi in religion leads to salvation
whereas it will lead to degradation and dictatorship in politics. Ambedkar states there is nothing wrong in being grateful to great men who have rendered life long services to the country, but there is a limit to it.
The next thing is that we must not be content with mere political democracy. We should make it a social democracy. Social democracy means a way of life which recognizes liberty, equality and fraternity as the principles of life. Without liberty there can not be equality. There can never be fraternity without liberty and equality. Fraternity is the principle which gives unity and solidarity to social life.
Ambedkar is deeply worried about casteism.As there are many castes in India unlike the USA, they bring out a separation in social life.In this sense, and we are not a nation. Fraternity can be a fact only when there is a nation Hence we should realize the necessity of becoming a nation in the social and psychological sense. Independence is, no doubt, a matter of joy.But at the same time it has thrown on us great responsibilities.