Fondly remembering Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Subhash Kashyap, former secretary-general of three Lok Sabhas said, “If Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was alive today, it would have pained him to see that the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes still need reservation. He was for a casteless and classless society.”
Talking about the Father of the Indian Constitution on his death anniversary, Mr. Kashyap said, “It would have pained him to see that people are increasingly wanting more reservation for their castes. The reservation for SC and ST was agreed by the Constituent Assembly on the condition that it will not be extended to any other group of people. He repeatedly said he was for a casteless and classless society.”
As the chairman of the drafting committee, credit is given to Dr. Ambedkar for the Indian Constitution but he had once told Mr. Kashyap, one-to-one, that he was not happy with the final version of the Constitution.
Very strong words
He also said this in the Rajya Sabha and had used very strong words, “I would be the first person to burn the Constitution. It is no good.”
The Constitution expert, Mr. Kashyap explained, why the first Law Minister of India thought this and said, “Dr Ambedkar had told me whether the Constitution is good or bad it will depend upon the persons who are called to work on it.”
Referring to the Constitution, Dr. Ambedkar had said, “We built the temple for gods to be installed there but I am disappointed.”
Mr. Kashyap, who got a chance to meet Dr. Ambedkar several times in the Parliament library said, “He was an intellectual person, a jurist, a scholar and very human.”
‘Quota not forever’
Mr. Kashyap went on to say, “Dr. Ambedkar did not spell out too many things but on the point of reservation for SC and ST, he had said that 10 years is too short a period and it should be 40 years, but thereafter the Parliament should have no power to extend reservation by law. He was against reservation in perpetuity. He had said ‘I would not want that symbol to continue in Indian society forever’.”
