The Modern Manu

Today Ambedkar’s name is remembered in the history of India also because of the role he played in framing the Constitution of India.

India became free from foreign rule on the 15th of August 1947.

Ambedkar became the first Minister of Law in independent India. With one voice all India welcomed his appointment. He took oath as a minister.

The country, no doubt, got freedom. It was to be decided how a country with crores of people should be rules. How should elections take place? What are the rights of the people? How are laws to be made? How should the government works? How should courts of law function? - Such important matters had to be decided, and laws had to be made. The Constitution answers all such questions and lays down rules.

It was a very difficult task to prepare the Constitution. A study of the Constitutions of many countries, a deep knowledge of law, knowledge of the history of India and of the Indian society, the patience and wisdom to weigh different opinion-all these were essential.

On 29 th August 1947, a committee was constituted to frame the Constitution of India. Ambedkar was chosen as its Chairman. Shri T. T. Krishnamachari, a member of the committee, himself has said:

"Though a committee of seven members was formed, one of then resigned. Another was nominated in his place. Another member died. No one took his place. One of the members was very busy with government work. Owing to ill health two other members were far away from Delhi. As a result, Dr. Ambedkar alone had to carry the entire burden of preparing the draft of the Constitution. The work he has done is admirable".

As the Minister for Law, Dr. Ambedkar placed the draft Constitution before the Constituent Assembly on 4th Nobvember 1948.

He gave satisfactory answers to many questions about the Constitution.

The part of the Constitution wiping out ‘untouchanblity’ was aproved on 29th November 1948. Ambedkar’s struggle bore fruit in his own life time. A new chapter began in social life. We should remember the words of Ambedkar in answer to the debate on the Indian Constitution:

"India has lost her freedom only owing to treason of her own people. Raja Dahir of Sindh was defeated by Mahammad Bin Khasim. The only reason for this defeat was that the generals of the Sindh army took bribes from Jahsim’s men and did not fight for the king. It was Raja Jaichand of India who invited Mohammad Ghori to fight against Prithviraj. When Shivaji was fighting for the freedom of the Hindus, other Maratha leaders and Rajputs were fighting for the Mughals. When the Sikhs were fighting against the British, their leader did nothing…. Such things should not happen again; therefore, everyone must resolve to fight to the last drop of his blood, to defend the freedom of India"

The Constituent Assembly accepted the draft India Constitution on 26th November 1949.

Dr. Ambedkar was born in the Mahar Cast; he was pushed away as an ‘untouchalbe’, his very touch was supposed to make the water unclear; by his genius, by his learning and by his unbending will, he rose high and shaped the Constitution of India, and came to be called the Modern Manu. (Manu was a great Law-Giver of ancient India)

Ambedkar’s fist wife, Ramabai, had died. He married a girl belongs to Saraswatha Brahmin – Dr. Sharda kabir; she was working in the nursing home where he was treated for sometime.

In 1951, Dr.Ambedkar resigned his office as minister.