TRIBUTE TO BHARAT RATTAN BABASAHEB
DR. BHIMRAO RAMJI AMBEDKAR

Prem. Kumar Chumber
Editor-In-Chief: www.ambedkartimes.com

Babasaheb Dr B.R. Ambedkar devoted his entire life to eradicate social injustice and annihilate insidious system of caste from the social structure of Indian society. He adopted legal and constitutional way for achieving his societal goals. Acquiring education and dissemination of information and knowledge among his people made him famous not only in India but also in whole world.  He is now known as one of few most adorable scholars in the world. His contribution to Social Democracy is seminal. Liberty, Equality and Fraternity constitute the core of Social Democracy. He was of the firm opinion that without establishing Social Democracy at the base the Political Democracy remains surficial. In order to make liberty, equality and fraternity as the cardinal principles of Social Democracy, Babasaheb Dr Ambedkar enshrined them in the Constitution of Independent India, of which he was the Chief-Architect. The constitution is a living document of ever evolving democracy in India. It guarantees special provisions for the distributive justice under the state affirmative action for the social emancipation and economic and political empowerment of downtrodden. In fact, the very inclusion of special provision for the uplift of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and OBCs in the Constitution laid the foundations of social democracy in Independent India. It is for this reason that the grassroots support for the maintenance of the constitution remained as a most vigilant guard against the dilution of its social democracy contents. It is for such a brilliant contributions towards the deepening of social democracy in India that Babasaheb Dr B.R. Ambedkar is known worldwide and his statute image: Copy of the Indian Constitution in one hand and raised finger of the other hand for the empowerment of the downtrodden in Independent India.

It is a matter of great pride that with the efforts of Ms Santosh Dass MBE, Mr Arun Kumar and all other Hon’ble members of FABO, UK, and the Government of Maharashtra, the place where Dr Ambedkar lived during his study in UK has been declared a museum on December 2, 2020. It is indeed a commendable task for which all the contributors worked very hard for instituting and preserving the great heritage of Babasaheb Dr Ambedkar legacy.

Ambedkar Times & Desh Doaba pay floral tributes to Bodhisattva Bharat Ratan Babasaheb Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar on his Prinirvan Divas.

Posted at www.ambedkartimes.com on December 6, 2020

“AMBEDKAR TIMES” PAYS FLORAL TRIBUTE TO
SAHIB KANSHI RAM JI ON THE PRINIRVANA DIVAS

Ambedkar Times pays floral tribute on the Prinirvana Divas of Sahib Kanshi Ram Ji, founder President of BAMCEF, DS4 and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). We also take pride in reproducing tomorrow the 1st World Dalit Conference Report. Read more http://www.ambedkartimes.com/sahib_kanshi_ram.htm

Prem K. Chumber
Editor-In-Chief: Ambedkar Times & Desh Doaba
Posted at www.ambedkartimes.com on October 9, 2020

May Day Celebrations & Babasaheb Dr Ambedkar’s Contributions for Labourers in India Prem Kumar Chumber Editor-in-Chief: www.ambedkartimes.com

Bharat Ratan Bodhi Satav Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ramji’s contribution towards the emancipation and empowerment of the working class in India both during the freedom struggle as well as after India’s independence is worth remembering on the historic May Day: celebrated worldwide as International Workers’ Day, also known as Workers’ Day and Labour Day. It was chosen to be International Workers’ Day at the International’s second congress in 1891 to commemorate the 1886 Haymarket affair in Chicago wherein on 1 May workers of various industrial units observed general strike for the eight-hour workday. On 4 May when the Chicago police tried to disperse a public assembly in support of the general strike an unidentified person threw a bomb, which led to police firing resulting in the death of seven police officers, at least four civilians and wounding of sixty police officers and unknown number of civilians. This was led to the arrest of hundreds of labour leaders and their sympathiers. Later on, four of the arrested ones were executed by hanging.
 
It was coincidence that Babasaheb Dr Ambedkar was born in 1891 and came to acquire higher education in the United States of America in 1913. What he learnt during his three years (1913-16) stint at Columbia University in New York City in the class room sessions of his great professors - John Dewey, James Shotwell, Edwin Seligman and James Harvey Robinson - made him struggle for the emancipation and empowerment of the labourers on his return in his own country during the British as well as after India’s independence. During his tenure as a Labour Minister and as the Labour Member of the Viceroy’s Executive Council between 1942 and 1946, he worked hard for the reduction of working hours from 12 to 8 Hrs a day. His contributions towards granting the rights of the labourers are manifold: establishment of Employment Exchange, Employees State Insurance (ESI), Indian Statistical Law, Compulsory Recognition for Trade of Union, Indian Factory act, Dearness Allowance (DA), Paid Holidays, Health Insurance, Extra pay for Overtime, Legal Strike Act, Provident Fund (PF), Labour Welfare Fund, Technical Training Scheme, Mines Maternity Benefit Act, Women Labour Welfare Fund, Women and Child-Labour Protection Act, Maternity Benefit for Women Labour, Equal Pay for Equal Work irrespective of the Sex, Restoration of Ban on Employment of Women on Underground Work in Coal Mines.

As far as the public domain of working class activism is concerned, Dr Ambedkar was always acted as front soldier for the rights of workers. His contribution in highlighting the plight of Dalit workers access in the highest paid textile mill weaving departments is well known. Dalits were not allowed to work in these textile mills for the fear of pollution caused by their saliva to wet the thread during the weaving process to tie the knot, each time the weft bobbin required a replacement. Dr Ambedkar brought this issue in the public during the famous 1928 Bombay Textile Strike. He threathened to dissuade Dalit workers from joining the strike if his demand for Dalits’ access to all kind of jobs in the mills was accepted. His contributions towards the bill to abolish the Mahar Watan and Khoti abolition bill were among the several prominent labour welfare measures undertook by him. Abolition of Punjab Land Alienation Act of 1900 was yet another legal relief to the non-agriculture classes, including Dalits, to overcome their exclusion from the land ownership rights.
   
Ambedkar Times & Desh Doaba Weekly newspapers congratulate all on the May Day Celebrations the world over and also fondly remember the rich contributions made by Bodhi Satav Bharat Ratan Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar towards the emancipation and empowerment of workers in India! Posted at www.ambedkartimes.com on May 1, 2020

Standing with the Federal and States Governments of
the United State of America's Fight against the Covid-19

Prem K. Chumber
Editor-in-Chief:
www.ambedkartimes.com

Covid-19 pandemic is not the only worldwide heath crisis that is being currently faced by mankind. Humanity at large had passed through many such similar catastrophic phases during its known history so far. What mankind learnt during such terrible times is the perennial lesson that with rational mind and collective measures, we can overcome any such crisis irrespective of its severity and range. What we need urgently to confront this pandemic is to leave behind our personal interests and join hands with the Federal and States Governments of The United States of America with all our strength and firm resolve to fight the invisible common enemy to its finish.

We also need to follow sincerely the legal and social injunctions to strengthen the US fight against Covid-19 pandemic. It is time to remind ourselves that if we fall, we fall together, and our safety is also collective. We must understand that we will not be completely safe till the remaining last effected person is cured of Coronavirus infection. In such critical circumstances, can we think only in terms of our individualized self/family/caste/faith-based interests only? Can we save ourselves in our homes singularly while storing mindlessly too much provision-items of daily use? We must realize that when Titanic ship was sinking, self -interest lost its meaning to one and all on board. In our life ship of society too, we also must understand that we will sail and sink together. If it is so, then we should not hesitate to do our maximum to fight this pandemic as is desired of us by our society and the Government.

We put on record our sincere thanks to the Federal and States Governments of the United States of America, its Army, Police, Doctors and the entire medical staff including the Fire Department who have been valiantly fighting the Covid-19 pandemic from the front for the last few weeks day and night.  “Ambedkar Times” (English) and Desh Doaba (Punjabi) Weekly Newspapers on its own behalf as well as all of its supporters, contributors, readers and sympathizers assure to contribute regularly through these forums to support this fight against Covid-19 pandemic.
Posted at www.ambedkartimes.com on April 8, 2020

Let's Confront Covid-19 Boldly
Prem K. Chumber
Editor-in-Chief: Desh Doaba & Ambedkar Times

Covid-19 pandemic is not the only worldwide heath crisis that is being currently faced by mankind. Humanity at large had passed through many more such similar catastrophic phases during its known history so far. What mankind learnt while passing through such terrible times is the perennial lesson that with rational mind and collective measures, we can overcome any such crisis irrespective of its severity and range. What we need urgently to confront this pandemic is to look beyond caste, class and faith boundaries, and to join hands to build social cohesiveness and common courage to fight the invisible common enemy to its finish. We also need to follow sincerely the legal and social injunctions to support with our full strength the worldwide battle against Covid-19. Self-isolation and physical distancing is what we need to follow meticulously to prevent further the spread of the Coronavirus. It is also very delicate time to remind ourselves that if we fall, we fall together, and our safety is also collective. We must understand that we are not safe till the remaining last effected person is cured of Coronavirus infection. In such critical circumstances, can we think only in terms of our individualized self/family/caste/faith-based interests only? Can we save ourselves in our homes singularly while storing mindlessly too much provision-items of daily use? We must realize that when Titanic ship was sinking, self -interest lost its meaning to one and all on board. In our life ship of society too, we also must understand that we will sail and sink together. If it is so, then we should not hesitate to do our maximum to fight this pandemic as is desired of us by our society.

“Ambedkar Times” and “Desh Doaba” Weekly Newspapers assure its supporters, contributors, readers and sympathizers to contribute regularly through this forum with sincere commitment to fight the battle against Covid-19 pandemic. We welcome all your intellectual support to sensitize rationally on this very issue in whatever way you want to come forward.
Posted at www.ambedkartimes.com on April 8, 2020

The Journey to continue: 
Ambedkar Times completes 11th years

"Nature, Humans and Freedom"
Prem Kumar Chumber
Editor-In-Chief:
www.ambedkartimes.com
We take pride in entering 12th year of our regular publication of Ambedkar Times. This all has become possible with the uninterrupted support of our supporters, contributors, readers and well-wishers. As we all aware of that the whole world has been passing through an unimaginable crisis for the last few days. The malady had originated at Wuhan in China and quickly engulfed the entire planet sending shivers down the spine in everyone. The malady - Covid19 - is still to be bridled as there has not been any universally recognized curable mechanism against its deadly infection. Corona causalities do not respect any man made and socially constructed caste, class, creed, gender, and cultural boundaries. Cartographic boundaries did not halt its onward journey.

Upper caste, rich, 1st world etc. failed to distinguish themselves from lower caste, poor and 3rd world binaries amidst its silent invasion. Nature's fury teaches us an unforgettable lesson of keeping ourselves united if we want to live happily and to face any contingency, which defy all types of binaries. Freedom is indivisible. So is the burden of oppressive social divisions.

Nature teaches us that our (of the entire humanity) fate is common: our sorrows and pleasures are also common. Then why we inclose ourselves in discriminatory caste/faith boundaries? Can one's being belonging to a particular caste/class/faith save her/him from the Corona virus? If we want to face boldly the onslaught of nature, we need to get ourselves free from oppressive social boundaries. If Corona has been making us physically weak and sick (in some cases even dead), social discrimination kills us mentally and makes us unfit to face boldly the fury of the nature!! Let us leave behind caste binaries and unite together to empower humanity. This could be a true way to achieve real freedom!

Posted at www.ambedkartimes.com on March 15, 2020