Mains Marathon

Approach / Explaination / Answer

• Introduce by writing a few lines about the two great personalities.
• Discuss the ideological differences between Gandhi and Dr. Ambedkar.
• Conclude suitably.

Answer

For establishing a modern, united democratic and constitutional India, Gandhi and Ambedkar have a unique place in Indian history.

For their contribution Gandhiji is called as Father of Nation and Dr. Ambedkar is also titled as Principal architect of Constitution of India or Modern Manu.

Both Gandhi and Dr. Ambedkar had a number of values and ideas in common.

Similarities between both are:

• Both want to do away with the evil practices in Hinduism.
• Both believe in freedom of religion, free citizens and separation of states from religion.
• Religion as an agent of social change accepted by both
• Both believe that not forcibly separate individuals from the religion or society
• Both believe in a Sovereign state with limited authority for government and
• People should be the ultimate sovereign Idea for transformation through a democratic and peaceful means.

The differences between both are:

Topic	Gandhiji	Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar
Freedom	It is never to be bestowed but to be wrested from authority by people.	Expected bestowing of freedom by the imperial ruler.
Democracy	He had little respect for parliamentary democracy and did not favor mass democracy; it may lead to dominance of leaders.	He had adapted the parliamentary system and supported mass democracy because it caused pressure on the government with the advancement of the oppressed people.
Ideological rigidity	None, Expect non-violence and Ahimsa.	As a political and social activist, he had few rigid principles.
Politics	He has highlighted and shows the effect of Indian unity example Hind Swaraj he talks about cultural unity of India.	He has highlighted the effect of Indian disunity and the unity is a product of the legal system of the British.
Village	Gram Swaraj was Ram Swaraj. He was an admirer of the Panchayati Raj system.	He had favored the status-quo nature of Indian villages that denied equality, fraternity and liberty.
Deprived section	He called the depressed class as harijan and said that religion must be between man and God.	He said that religion must be between man and man.
Caste system	He was a supporter of the caste system and of the varna system but with focus on intercaste harmony and intermingling.	He denounced the Veda in Hindu scriptures.
Untouchability	Untouchability is one of many problems Hinduism is facing.	He saw untouchability as the only problem.
Violence	He had no distinction between the types of violence and said that the end can't justify the means.	Absolute nonviolence as an end and relative violence as a means and said that purity of end can justify means.
Language	He has used vernacular languages and also used religious views, ideas and quotes.	He used to speak in English and avoided religious symbols in his speech.
Grievance redressal	To make law more just, disobey the law by Non-Cooperation, I.e., Satyagraha.	Observation of law and constitutionality in political processes.

Although, Gandhiji and Dr. Ambedkar both had different views on various issues and ideas.

But these differences led to the development of democratic system where views of all were respected and created a successful democratic India.