Believed to be the father of the Indian Constitution and the maker of modern India, the most qualified leader of his time, Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar fought all his life to eliminate caste discrimination, dispossession, and humiliation. It was the 127th anniversary of his birth on the 14th April 2018.
While different parts of India enjoyed the spectacle of a great leader’s birth anniversary (Ambedkar Jayanti), political leaders, academics, social entrepreneurs, and activists from the UK got together to commemorate the occasion in Committee Room 2, House of Lords on 30 April. Lord Harries of Pentregarth chaired the fifth such event organized by Federation of Ambedkarite and Buddhist Organisations UK (FABO UK).
Ms Santosh Dass MBE, President of FABO UK, the Vice Chair of the Anti Caste Discrimination Alliance, and a leading figure in the campaign to outlaw caste discrimination in the UK, said “I want to make Dr Ambedkar’s appeal universal.” She also touched on the “relentless and ongoing fight” to outlaw caste discrimination in the UK. Ms Dass was also instrumental in the acquisition of the London House where Ambedkar lived as a student in 1921-22.
Dr Jesús Cháirez-Garza and Dr William Gould from the University of Leeds reflected on why race was important in relation to caste, especially with the idea of caste and race closely related in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Dr Gould discussed the forthcoming research into how Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe NGOs shaped Government policies related to them.
Ms Bonnie Dobson, a musician described how she came to know about and admire Ambedkar. Mr Arun Kumar, FABO UK spoke about the Ambedkar House and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s no show on 19 April.
Mr Raj Bangar, of Kanshi TV, shared how his TV channel gives the marginalized a voice. Mr Pratap Tamble, a Diversity lead, highlighted findings of pan-India survey of higher education in 2015-2016 that found representation lacking in different wings of the government, higher education, judiciary, business and public media.
Dr David Mosse, SOAS, University of London, spoke about Caste in the market economy and its relevance today.
