“In our constitution, ‘We the People’ is written, and this fight (against coronavirus) is what it signifies. Remembering BR Ambedkar, says it a symbolic remembrance to his anniversary,” this is how Prime Minister Narendra Modi started his address while the declaring the nationwide lockdown amid COVID-19 on Tuesday.
Today marks Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar aka Babasaheb Ambedkar’s 129th birth anniversary. He was a social reformer and a pioneer of the Constitution of India. Every year, people commemorate the birth anniversary, but this year due to the nationwide lockdown, people will celebrate it at home, and one can go digitally to pay the tributes. A website has been developed by the National Confederation of Dalit and Adivasi Organisations (NACDAOR) which allow people to virtually garland Dr Ambedkar’s statue.
Dr Ambedkar also played an integral part in the emergence of the Reserve Bank of India. He was a social reformer who was responsible for the Dalit Buddhist Movement in India.
Babasaheb Ambedkar is remembered for his efforts in framing the most well-structured constitution ideal for such a diverse nation like India. One among the founding members of the Indian Constitution Assembly, Dr Ambedkar was the important figure who led the colossal task of drafting the world’s largest constitution.
‘WE THE PEOPLE OF INDIA’ reads the preamble of the Indian constitution and grand subjects like justice, liberty and equality of status are highlighted with the greatest care. Further, the ‘dignity of the individual’ has been asserted.
In the scenario of coronavirus lockdown, one must be a responsible citizen as it implies that you know your duty sufficiently and will volunteer for numerous things that are required by the community or the society in general while battling the novel COVID-19.
As the constitution has provided fundamental rights to people to live in a way which they want, it has also given us fundamental duties too. A responsible citizen should abide by all law and order of the nation. Thus, during the lockdown, if government, along with health experts, has advised people to stay home, we must follow the law and become a responsible citizen.
On Babasaheb Ambedkar’s 129th birth anniversary, let us unite and take a pledge to battle the novel coronavirus together.
