NAME – SOMESH KUMAR DUBEY

ROLL NO.- 1727/19

SUBJECT – UNDERSTANDING AMBEDKAR

POLITICAL SCIENCE

TOPIC OF ASSIGNMENT -

Ambedkar’s thesis on the rise and fall of Hindu Women

is central to understand women’s position in India ?
Discuss.S
INTRODUCTION

Dr. B.R Ambedkar was the one among the most influential thinkers in
India. He also play a important role towards empowering to women.
His contribution through idea of women education, women freedom in
society, critique of caste and Manusmriti , equal fundamental rights in
constitution are remarkable in history. But a best study always
incomplete without have a deep look in contexts. So here in this paper I
try to find that what circumstances, situations, people, idea and
stimulation had background role in his idea of women emancipation.

He broke down the barriers in the way of advancement of women in

India. He started fierce propaganda against the Hindu social order and
launched a journal Mook Nayak in 1920 and Bahiskrit Bharat in 1927 for
this purpose. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar unravels the inequality and injustice
inherent in Hindu social order that perpetuates inequality and
subordination of women in a systemic manner. In his treatises, “The
Rise and Fall of Hindu Women”, “The Women and Counter
Revolution”, and “Castes in India: Their Mechanism, Genesis and
Development”, Dr. Ambedkar has analyzed the manner in which
gender relations are artificially constructed under Hindu social order
which not only moulds attitude of Hindus towards their women but
also conditions women to confirm to a stereotype feminine behaviour.
He raised his voice against the brahminvaad, hindu social order, varna
system, caste system, and Manusmriti for the betterment of women. For
this he spend his life to arrange rights, opportunity, education, equality,
social justice through constitutional, institutional, social awareness and
law settlements.
He rise his voice for women through his renowned journal Mook Nayak
in 1920 and Bahiskrit Bharat in 1927.
In ancient India, women enjoyed a very high position but
gradually their position degenerated into merely objects of
pleasure meant to serve certain purpose. They lost their
individual identity and even their basic human right.
Empowerment is a multi-faceted, multi-dimensional and multi-
layered
concept. Women’s empowerment is a process in which women
gain greater share of control over resources material, human
and intellectual like knowledge, information, ideas and financial
resources like money - and access to money and control over
decision-making in the home, community, society end nation,
and to gain ‘power’. According to the Country Report of
Government of India, “Empowerment means moving from a
position of enforced powerlessness to one; of power”. But, from
time immemorial, the women in this land of ours were treated
as a sort of thing.
Her placing in the society was not at par with other human
beings. She has no rights. She cannot move nor do anything at
her will. In Hindu Shastras, she has been branded just like
animals or some Objects of enjoyment. From the verses of
Ramayana as written by Tulsi Das, Dhol, ganwar,
shudra,pashu, naari - Ye sab tadan ke adhikari”, In ‘Manusmriti’
the ancient Hindu Code-book, the status
granted to women is quite visible and she was put to the lowest
rug of humanity as she was treated at par with the animals and
slave by the proprietors of Hindu Dharma. Such was the
placement earmarked to our mothers, sisters and even great
grand mothers that humanity was ashamed of.
That is why Dr. Ambedkar, the father and architect of Indian
Constitution, was of the firm opinion that until and unless, we
defy the Hindu Dharma-Shastras, nothing much can be
changed. In the name of sanskaras, the Hindu women are tied
to bondages of superstitions, which they carry till their death.
They are also responsible for inculcating certain wrong notions
learnt through baseless
traditions and preaching of the Shastras, in the budding minds
of their offspring.

HINDUISM

It is true that great men do not demand rights they do their

duties. But for Ambedkar, this is hardly true in respect of the
general masses. The rights of the upper castes are
automatically protected, but not of the poor classes. The poor
masses must have specific rights, otherwise they would be
exploited and opposed by the clever and shrewd persons. The
Hindu ideal of duties under the Varna-
Vyavastha has developed only as a means of exploitation and
oppression. It is a system which deadens, paralyes and crippled
the people from which useful activity, and also prevents them
form eretivity.
Ambedkar made some memorable speeches in the Round Table
conference. He placed the view point of the depressed classes
and pleaded for Dominion Status. His speeches created a good
impression upon the British public. He served on a number of
important sub-committees and prepared scheme of political
safeguards far the protections of depressed classes in the future
constitution of a self governing India. Ambedkar also advocated
the immediate introduction of adult franchise.
The Hindu Code Bill, 1948

In 1948 when the Hindu Code Bill was introduced in

parliament and debated on the floor of the house, the opposition
was strong against the Bill. Ambedkar tried his level best to
defend the Bill by pointing out the Constitutional principals of
equality, liberty and fraternity and that in the Indian society
characterized by the caste system and the necessary for a social
change in which women have equality in a legal frame system
and the oppression of women since women are deprived of
equality, a legal frame work is necessary for a social change in
which women have equal right with men. However, the Bill
could not withstand the opposition from the Hindu orthodoxy.
In reality, the Bill was a threat to patriarchy on which
traditional family structure, was bounded and that was the
major reasons behind the opposition. Therefore, on the eve of
the first elections in 1951 PrimeMinister Jawaharlal Nehru
dropped the Bill by saying that there was too much opposition.
On thisissue the then Law Minister Dr. Ambedkar resigned.
His explanations for resignation show how theparliament of
independent India deprived its women citizens of even basic
rights. His resignationletter dated 27th September 1951.
Although most of the provisions proposed by Ambedkar were
later passed during 1955-56 in four bills on Hindu ‘marriage’
succession, minority and guardianship and maintenances and
later in 1976 some changes were made in Hindu law it still
remains true that the basic rights of women have yet to be
restored to them even after fifty years of the working of the
Indian Constitution based on the principle of liberty equality
and justice to all Indian citizens However the Hindu code Bill
helped the principle of liberty, equality and justice to all Indian
citizens. However, the Hindu code Bill helped the resurgence of
feminist movement in India. This crusade of Ambedkar to
emancipate women from injustice inspires the women leader in
parliament to keep the issue alive until its enactment. This was
the starting point for women to recognize their position and
pursue rights movement by acquiring strength from second
wave feminism started in the early 1960s. Women are still
fighting issues such as rape, dowry death, communalism,
fundamentalism, sexual harassment, violence - domestic and
social, poverty and so on.
The parinirvan of Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar who was
recognized internationally as a crusader against caste system, a
vigilant fighter for the human rights of all the oppressed and
enslaved and the emancipator of humanity from social and
economic injustice, occurred on 6th December 1956. In the
condolence message, on Ambedkar death in Parliament, Prime
Minister Jawaharlal Nehru said:
“Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar was a symbol of revolt against all
oppressive features of the Hindu society.” His dream of society
based on gender equality is yet to be realized and therefore his
thoughts are important for the social reconstruction that
favours women’s empowerment. The Nation honoured Baba
Saheb Ambedkar by offering Bharat Ratna posthumously to
him which was
received by his widow Savita Ambedkar in 1990. Dr. Ambedkar
foundation was set up under the Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment on 24th March 1992 for the purpose of
promoting and propagating his ideology of social justice so as
to reach the common masses. The foundation implemented
Schemes such as Dr. Ambedkar National Memorial, Dr.
Ambedkar National Public Library, Dr. Ambedkar Chairs in
Universities / Institutions, Dr. Ambedkar Award for Social
Understanding and upliftment of Weaker Sections and the Dr.
Ambedkar International Award for
Social Change.

Empirical Ground of Women Emancipation

Ambedkar as constitution assembly member have a great role

to determine the status of deprived class by effecting
constitution, law, speeches, conferences and in act formation in
through his life. In January 1928, a women’s association was
founded in Bombay with Ramabai, Ambedkar’s wife as its
president. On December 25, 1927 at a Conference of Depressed
Classes held at Mahad, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar made a bonfire of
Manusmriti in presence of more than fifty women to protest
against the discrimination of women and untouchables upheld
by it. In his address at the Depressed Classes Women’s
Conference held at Nagpur on July 20, 1942 under the
presidentship of Mrs Sulochanabai Dongre in which 25000
women attended, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar said, “I am a great
believer in women’s organizations. I know what they can do to
improve the condition of society if they are convinced. In the
eradication of social evils they have rendered great services”.
He also underlined that women should learn to be clean and
keep themselves away from vices. They should educate their
children and in still high ambition in them. Speaking on
marriage and parental responsibilities, he advised women to get
married only when they are financially able. They should stand
by their husband as a friend and equal and refuse to be his
slave. He reminded them that having too many children is a
crime. The paternal duty lies in giving each child a better start
than its parents had. He concluded his address, “I am sure if
you follow this advice, you will bring honour and glory to
yourselves”. In The Preamble of Indian constitution guarantees
social and economic justice to women and that is because of
Ambedkar contribution. In the preamble it is mentioned: i)
social, economic and political justice, ii) freedom of thought,
expression, belief, faith and worship, iii) equality of status and
opportunity and iv) fraternity assuring dignity of the individual
and national unity to all the citizens of India without any
discrimination of caste, creed or sex. In Indian Constitution
article 14 - Equal rights and opportunities in political,
economic and social spheres. Article 15 prohibits discrimination
on the ground of sex. Article 15(3) enables affirmative
discrimination in favour of women. Article 39 – Equal means of
livelihood and equal pay for equal work. Article 42 – Human
conditions of work and maternity relief. Article 51 (A) (C) –
Fundamental duties to renounce practices, derogatory to the
dignity of women. Article 46 – The state to promote with
special care, the educational and economic interests of weaker
section of people and to protect them from social injustice and
all forms of exploitation. Article 47 – The state to raise the
level of nutrition and standard of living of its International
Journal of Academic Research and Development 871 people and
the improvement of public health and so on. Article 243D (3),
243T (3) & 243R (4) provides for allocation of seats in the
Panchayati Raj System.
The Hindu Marriage Act 1955, Hindu succession Act and The
Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956 are the main
influenced Act by Ambedkar contribution. The Hindu Marriage
Act was amended in 1976 made the following provisions for
women 1. The legitimization of illegitimate children (Sec.16). 2.
Punishment-bigamy (Sec.26). 3. Custody of children (Sec. 26).
4. Marriageable age of females raised to 18 years, 5. Provision
for alimony (Sec. 25). The Act abolishes the difference between
a maiden and a widow. For the first time Hindu code bill
amended by Ambedkar and gave a hindu woman the right to
inherit property The Hindu Succession Act, 1956 This Act
contains the following provisions for women: 1. A widow has a
right to adopt a son or a daughter which was not there in the
Hindu Law. 2. It also provided an opportunity to be
independent and dispose of her property by will as she wishes
and desires (Sec. 14). 3. A uniform scheme of succession to the
property of a Hindu female who dies, intestate after
commencement of the Act, was made in Section 15. Previously
under the uncodified law the succession to stridhan varied
according to the marital status of a woman. The Hindu
Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956: Following provisions
are come under the purview of this Act: 1. The mother is
empowered to change the gurdian, appointed by the father and
may appoint a new gurdian by will. 2. The father‟s right to
appoint a guardian for the minor by will during the life time of
the minor‟s mother is prohibited under this Act. Thus through
legal, constitutional, law and act Ambedkar were trying to
established a democratic structure which is productive for all
type of class including women.

CONCLUSION

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar is an important theoretical input in

understanding the hurdles to empowerment of women. For
Hindu minds who deny equal social status to women in matters
of entitlement of rights, property, and inheritance. Dr. B.
R.Ambedkar not only wrote extensively to counter the
orthodox Hindu opinion against women but worked as an
activist and social reformer at the grass roots level to organize
and empower women of depressed classes. And This paper have
tried to explain what he did for uprooted the women degraded
status and how it is related to his concept of functioning of
Braminvaad, varna system, caste structure, Hindu Social order
based on caste hierarchy discrimination. Because he knows that
these all are based on system of endogamy, purity of caste
identity, inequality and all these centre is women sexuality –
reproduction. Along with this, women have face more struggle,
low status, low dignity and subordination in adjustments to
security of women sexuality and reproductive purity for save
hindu social order. Ambedkar said education, freedom, equality,
opportunity and rationality, only ways through women get
emancipate. These solutions are come from his theory of special
treatment for deprived section, rationality, dignity, fraternity,
equality which all have influenced by western idea of humanism
and western realism. Here we can see that his perception,
ambition, contribution, haters and ideas formed or developed by
experience of childhood, study in London – Colombia and as a
nationalist participation in Indian politics. Women
emancipation is also a branch of it. Along with it, Ambedkar
compare to the between phase of rise and fall of women during
pre vedic era, manusmiriti, and buddhism have a look on how
Ambedkar search about good in buddhism and bad about in
manusmiriti. His constitutional and law contributions are
remarkable in women emancipation action mode. But there are
some question – if Ambedkar had most of help from Hindu
upper caste people then why he did not find a way to reform
hindu caste structure itself? because he had been seen that there
were some good mind set peoples in Hindu caste orthodoxal
society. After this why he made his choice to change in buddism
rather than correct the bad in Hindu social orders. This was
not directly related to women emancipation but is a main
question.
So at last I would like to say that without Ambedkar the
positions of women in very down , if he couldn’t come forward
for women.