“The Interest of the Nation Was Above All”: Justice Gavai on Ambedkar’s Unwavering Stand for a United India
Kiran Raj
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the principal architect of the Indian Constitution, always placed the nation above caste, creed, individual interest, or ideology, said Supreme Court judge Justice B R Gavai on Sunday. Delivering the inaugural Dr. Ambedkar Lecture at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in Delhi, Justice Gavai highlighted Ambedkar’s steadfast belief in unity and inclusive nationhood.
“Dr. Ambedkar always advocated for a united India,” said Justice Gavai, who is set to become the Chief Justice of India on May 14. Drawing from Ambedkar’s Constituent Assembly speeches, he recalled, “Today we are divided politically, socially, and economically. We are a group of warring camps — and I may go even to the extent of confessing that I am probably one of the leaders of such a camp.”
Justice Gavai stated that for Ambedkar, the country’s welfare surpassed all other affiliations. “For him, the interest of the nation was above all interest — be it the interest of individuals, of any caste, or of any ideology,” he remarked.
Quoting further, Gavai spotlighted Ambedkar’s vision for a shared national identity: “The common goal is the building up of the feeling that we are all Indians. I do not like what some people say, that we are Indians first and Hindus afterwards or Muslims afterwards. I am not satisfied with that. I do not want that our loyalty as Indians should be in the slightest way affected by any competitive loyalty — whether that arises out of our religion, our culture, or our language. I want all people to be Indians first, Indians last, and nothing else but Indians.”
On a personal note, Justice Gavai said, “Speaking for myself, I was fortunate to have been born to a father who worked with Dr. Ambedkar and served as one of the soldiers in the fight for social and economic justice. I am here only because of Dr. Ambedkar and the Constitution of India.”
He also reflected on Ambedkar’s candid acknowledgment of the socio-political challenges of the time. Dr. Ambedkar, he said, was clear that the framing of the Constitution was not just a product of the freedom struggle, but also deeply rooted in the pursuit of equality by millions long deprived of their rights.
Touching upon the Constituent Assembly’s complex dynamics, Gavai recalled Ambedkar’s stance during the Muslim League’s boycott. “He said that we must make an attempt to bring back the Muslim League into the mainstream and frame a Constitution that will be acceptable to one and all, including the Muslim League,” he noted.
