Cultural Encirclement of Critical Thinking

Rule of law is a provision envisioned by the makers of the constitutions to morally help the state in maintaining its decent stature within the bounds of conscience. B R Ambedkar saw the promise in the state to seek relief from injustice and inequality, and hence he treated the conscience of the state as central to his constitutional thought. It is interesting to note that in recent times, there is an increasing degree of cultural and symbolic association with Ambedkar across several social and political spheres. In the Indian context, no political party can afford to miss Ambedkar at least on events that are increasingly undergoing symbolisation. However, it is also equally true that such increasing symbolic association with Ambedkar does not seem to keep pace with transformative politics and constitutional morality, which were among his core concerns. Those who seek to commemorate his contribution, use radical songs or pay respect to him through the performative act of bowing before his image and the copy of Constitution that was written with his immense contribution.

The Constitution, through its intellectual association with Ambedkar, has indeed become a symbol that at the cultural level keeps inspiring several social and political groups, with Dalits being the most prominent of them all. Such association that remains at the level of commemoration adversely impinges on his constitutional scholarship and is forgotten by the state and certain social groups who are then encouraged to develop extraconstitutional authority to be used to target certain vulnerable groups, especially Dalits and minorities.