MAHARASHTRA NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY, NAGPUR

B.A.LL.B.(Honours in Adjudication and Justicing) Five-Year Integrated Degree Course

Year-I, Semester-II: Academic Year: 2021-2022
First Open Book Assessment, February-2022

Course Code and Name: 2.4 contemporary political thought

Name of Student: Smriti Sharma UID: UGJ21-51

Answer 1)
Introduction
Gandhi said, “Panchayat Raj represents true democracy realized. We would regard the
humblest and the lowest Indian as being equally the ruler of India with the tallest in the
land.”
Migration to cities is a recurring phenomenon observed in the countries where people shift
from rural background to urban centres for better allocation of their resources and needs.
India being a heavily populated country faces the issue of proper allocation of resources
among individuals which leads to poverty and unemployment since the country has low
capita space income for a city. Therefore, there is a need to lower or reduce the rural urban
divide in the nation for sustainable development and development of every individual in a
nation.
This idea can be inculcated through the concept of Gram Swaraj given by Gandhi.
Gram swaraj
Gram Swaraj, or the self-sufficient village, is a unique concept of planning advocated by
Mahatma Gandhi many years before India's independence and evolved through time. Gram
Swaraj is one of the theories and models of rural reconstruction that focuses on the complete
functioning of society in which individuals are put at the heart of the market structure.
Swaraj is an ancient Vedic term that indicates self-rule and self-restraint, not the freedom
from any restraints that "independence" sometimes implies. True Swaraj will be achieved not
by the accumulation of power by a few, but by the ability of all to reject power when it is
exploited. The Gandhian concept of the ideal village, or village Swaraj, is that it is a full
republic, independent of its neighbours for its own needs but interdependent for many others.
Features of gram swaraj
1. Republic and independent
Gram Swaraj's notion is that it is a full republic, independent of its neighbours for its own
essential requirements but interdependent for many others where dependency is required. As
a result, the main priority for each village will be to raise its own food crops and cotton for its
textiles.
2. Own resources
It should feature a cattle reserve, as well as recreational and a playground for both adults and
children. Then, if more land becomes available, it will be used to produce valuable money
crops, eliminating ganja, tobacco, opium, and other such substances.
3. Nai talim
Nai Talim is another important component of Gandhian Gram Swaraj. It is a craft-based
education system that emphasises spiritual, cultural, and social growth while teaching
practical skills. He saw that students' spirits could not be taught just via books; instead, they
needed to be exposed to the practical notion of the human world. As a talent passed down
from generation to generation, handicraft was discovered to be the most accessible
component of this process.
4. Human being supremacy
Gandhian Gram Swaraj is founded on various concepts, including human primacy, full
employment, equality, Swadeshi, trusteeship, self-sufficiency and collaboration and
decentralisation. Gram Swaraj is a permanent characteristic, thus he felt that the Swaraj
objectives would be met when a village achieved Swaraj in all sectors of life, including
economics, politics, social, and culture. As a result, the Gandhian Gram Swaraj might be
defined as a "non-exploiting, basic village economy."

5. Morally upright
Gram Swaraj is inextricably linked to nonviolence since it "embodies nonviolence in the
realms of politics, economics, and sociology." Gandhi promoted self-rule and self-control,
but not at the expense of others. He believed that Swaraj could only be achieved by adhering
to the principles of truth and nonviolence. 'Swaraj of the people can never occur by untruthful
and violent tactics. As a result, each individual can only achieve freedom by following the
path of nonviolence. As a result, in Swaraj, Gandhi emphasised the individual's
responsibility.
6. Economic equality
A community must be self-sufficient in order to achieve self-rule. Gandhi believed that a lack
of self-sufficiency leads to impoverished people being exploited by the wealthy and villages
being exploited by cities. As a result, income equality impacted Gandhi's ideology of self-
sufficiency.
7. Interdependence
When village residents use local products and promote rural industries, the village becomes
self-sufficient. Higher revenue from productive work and greater output from increased local
demand are two benefits of using more local products and promoting rural industry. As a
result, when consumers meet their demands for local produce and local producers, they will
directly support local producers such as farmers, artisans, weavers, and others, resulting in
the development of a natural economic order and harmony in society.
Historical background
He presented his economic plans to rebuild numerous rural districts of India based on his
knowledge. The rural rebuilding experiments in Champaran in 1917, Sevagram in 1920,
Wardha in 1938, and constructive programmes were among the most notable of these
initiatives. Furthermore, he immediately promoted his ideas for rural regeneration and pushed
his followers and colleagues to do the same.
In one of his letters to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of Independent India,
he proposed that each individual's mental, economic, political, and moral growth be given
equal weight and opportunity. He also requested that he concentrate on bridging the rural-
urban divide. His many works published in Harijan and Young India, as well as some of the
personal letters he addressed to various people, provide a peek into his ideal village. He
described his perfect village vision in a letter to Munnalal Shah dated April 4, 1941.
Principles of gram swaraj
 India is a land of villages, not cities.
 Rural reconstruction is founded on the idea that rural regions should not be exploited.
 Moral and ethical principles are more important than worldly wealth.
 Sarvodaya - everyone's well-being
 Swadeshi items should be promoted and used.
 Small-scale and cottage enterprises are used to industrialize villages.
 Each individual must execute their obligation towards the state.
 People should be able to make their own decisions.
 Process of Planning from the Ground Up
Relevance in the contemporary world
I. Panchayats' constitutional status: The 73rd Amendment Act 1992, which took effect
on April 24, 1993, marked a turning point in the decentralisation movement. The most
important component of this amendment is that it gave constitutional legitimacy to the
Gram Sabha institution. This body can be utilised as a stepping stone in achieving
Gandhi's vision of gramme swaraj, or local self-government.
II. renewed focus on Khadi: The Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme
(PMEGP) was introduced on August 15, 2008, with a renewed focus on Khadi. It is
being introduced in order to create jobs in both rural and urban areas of the country.
SFURTI, which stands for "Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional
Industries," was established in 2005 with the goal of promoting cluster growth.
III. Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA): It aims to develop and strengthen the
capacities of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) for rural local governance to become
more responsive to local development needs, prepare participatory plans that leverage
technology, and make the most efficient and effective use of available resources to
achieve long-term solutions to local problems.
IV. Adoption of several initiatives His Gram Swaraj concept impacted the adoption of
many initiatives such as the Community Development Program (CDP), the
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), and
the establishment of Panchayati Raj institutions. As a result, Gandhi's Gram Swaraj
approach to rural rebuilding might be regarded one of the alternative development
models.
Conclusion
India, according to Gandhiji, will have to live in villages rather than cities, in huts rather than
palaces. He expressed his belief by saying, "If the village perishes, India would perish as
well."
The job at hand is to develop and revive local institutions as we progress toward Gandhi's
vision of Gram Swaraj. Therefore, Gram Swaraj ‘working in full swing will provide a model
for the world to copy. It will then be a gift of India to the world’.

Answer 3)
Introduction
“If I find the constitution being misused, I shall be the first one to burn it” – Dr. Bhim Rao
Ambedkar.

Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, often known as Babasaheb Ambedkar, was a key figure in the
development of the Indian Constitution. He was an Indian politician, philosopher, writer,
economist, academic, and social reformer who dedicated his life to ending untouchability and
other forms of social inequity. He was born on April 14, 1891, in the Hindu Mahar Caste of
Madhya Pradesh. Because the Mahar caste was considered "untouchable" by the higher class,
he had to confront harsh prejudice from all corners of community.

The word caste was taken from the Spanish and Portuguese word Casta, which meaning race
or lineage, in the 16th century. Between 1000 and 1500 B.C., the foundations of the Hindu
caste system were already in place. When the Aryans settled in the valley of the Indus River.
In old Hindu culture, the Rig Veda, a sacred literature from the time, describes four major
Varna: Brahmanas were the priests and instructors, Kshatriyas were the rulers and soldiers,
Vaishyas were the commercial class of artisans, traders, and farmers, and Shudras were the
servants and peasants.

Thoughts on caste system

Babasaheb has dedicated his life to eradicating the concept of untouchability. He thought that
the nation's growth could not be accomplished without the eradication of untouchability,
which he defined as the ultimate annihilation of the caste system. He investigated Hindu
philosophical traditions and gave them a critical evaluation.

Untouchability, in his opinion, is the enslavement of the whole Hindu community. While
Untouchables are exploited by Caste Hindus, religious statues enslave Caste Hindus as well.
As a result, the emancipation of the untouchables leads to the emancipation of Hindu society
as a whole.

Dr. Ambedkar slammed traditional law works like Manusmriti and Arthshastras for
portraying the repressed class as inferior and bitter. He also chastised Brahmans for having a
higher standard than everyone else. Untouchables' social abuse and backwardness may be
traced back to the Brahmans.
Ambedkar also denied that the Aryan invasions recorded in ancient Vedic and Sanskrit
literature occurred. He said the Shudras were not dark-skinned, but that they were members
of the Kshatriya caste until they were defeated in a fight with VAISTHA and became their
slaves. He poses a number of questions to Hindus who are political oriented.

Timeline of Reforms done by Babasaheb

 He founded the 'Bahishkrit Hitkarini Sabha (Outcastes Welfare Association)' in 1923

with the goal of disseminating education and culture to the poor.

 Dr. Ambedkar's temple entrance movement, which began in 1930 in the Kalaram
temple in Nasik, is another watershed moment in the battle for human rights and
social justice.

 Dr. Ambedkar attended all three Round Table Conferences in London (1930-32) and
spoke out aggressively on behalf of the 'untouchables' each time.

 The Independent Labour Party was created by Babasaheb Ambedkar in 1936.

 During World War II, in 1939, he urged Indians to enlist in huge numbers in the
Army in order to resist Nazism, which he said was just another word for Fascism.

 On October 14, 1956, he and many of his followers converted to Buddhism. In the
same year, he finished his final work, 'Buddha and His Dharma.'

 Dr.B.R.Ambedkar was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1990.

 In honour of Babasaheb, the year from April 14, 1990 to April 14, 1991 was
designated as "Year of Social Justice."

 On March 24, 1992, the Government of India formed the Dr. Ambedkar Foundation
as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act under the Ministry of
Social Justice and Empowerment.

Methods adopted by Babasaheb to remove untouchability

A. Education According to Babasaheb, is a powerful element. Untouchables were

degraded for a variety of reasons, one of which being their lack of access to
education. He chastised the British for failing to do enough to educate the lower
castes. He insisted on kids receiving a secular education in order to inculcate ideas of
equality and freedom in them.

B. Economic progress He wants untouchables to be free of the ties that bind them to the
village community and customary vocations. He urged people to learn new skills, start
a new job, and relocate to cities to take advantage of the industrial revolution.
 Villages, he said, were a "sink of localism, a lair of ignorance, narrow-mindedness,
and communalism."

C. Political influence: He wished for the untouchables to band together politically.

Untouchables would be able to protect, safeguard, and implement new emancipatory
laws if they had political power.

D. Conversion: When he recognised that Hinduism could not change, he converted to

Buddhism and encouraged his followers to do the same. Buddhism, in his opinion,
was founded on humanism and was built on the principles of equality and
brotherhood. "I'm reborn, rejecting my natal religion."

Relevance in the contemporary India

In India, caste-based inequality still exists. While Dalits have developed a political identity as
a result of reservation and the formation of their own political parties, they continue to lag
behind in social (health and education) and economic elements. There has been an increase in
community division and politicisation. To avert irreversible harm to the Indian Constitution,
Ambedkar's notion of constitutional morality must take precedence over religious morality.

Constitutional provisions of Ambedkar’s thoughts

"Untouchability" is abolished, according to Article 17 of the Indian Constitution, and its

practise in any form is prohibited. Any disability imposed as a result of 'Untouchability' will
be a criminal offence punished by law.

The promotion of the educational and economic interests of scheduled castes, scheduled
tribes, and other disadvantaged groups is also stated in Article 46 of the Indian Constitution.

The National Commission for Scheduled Castes is governed under Article 338 of the
Indian Constitution. It is the commission's responsibility to examine all forms of atrocities.

The 89th Constitutional Amendment, passed in 2003, established the National

Commission for Scheduled Tribes. The parliament, on the other hand, has passed a number of
laws to prohibit atrocities against persons from the scheduled castes and tribes. A crime
against the Dalit is punishable under the Protection of Civil Rights Act of 1955 and the
Prevention of Atrocities Act of 1989. Many special courts and fast track courts have been
formed to expedite the adjudication of cases

Article 21 which talks about the protection of life and life and personal liberty.

Conclusion
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, according to historian R.C. Guha, is a remarkable example of success in
the face of adversity. Casteism, communalism, separatism, gender inequity, and other
socioeconomic issues plague India today. We must seek out Ambedkar's spirit within
ourselves in order to overcome these obstacles. Discrimination based on caste is not a post-
colonial phenomenon. Caste prejudice is a form of poison, and it has evolved into a social
tradition and culture that is spreading across society.
The impact of Ambedkar's ideas may be seen in the fact that the new constitution not only
granted equality to all people, but also took concrete efforts to remove caste discrimination
and make its forms illegal.