Ambedkar: A Forgotten Social Activist
Amelie Barras

(Excerpt)

The December Tsunami catastrophe was marked by an unprecedented wave of solidarity, unfortunately it also highlighted harshly the institutional discrimination that persists against the Dalit community in India. Aid marked for everyone did not reach Dalit Localities. Though there were some Logistic problems it has become clear that the main reason for the failure to reach Dalits communities was due to caste based prejudice.  In the late 20's Ambedkar had voiced the perverse and dangerous nature of the caste social construct, today more than ever his ideas can be used by minority communities everywhere to fight in-built discrimination. In India Ambedkar is acknowledged and remembered as the leader of the Dalits.  He has extruded a profound influence on Post- partition India.  However, his influence went unacknowledged by India's government until the 1990s and both he and his political ideas remain almost unknown in the west. As we shall see Ambedkar's ideas worked to incorporate the minority Dalit community into the heart of the Indian Democracy.  His ideas should be studied by all those interested in the problematic of representing and protecting minority communities within the modern state.