On the eve of 133 birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, DSS launched a campaign “Save the Constitution – Save India” from 2nd April to 14th April 2024. Now there is a discussion going on in some quarters of the country that the constitution may be amended affecting its secular character. Now the constitution is not only secular but safeguards the rights of all citizens equally. In particular, the constitution provides various equality and equity provisions to uplift the scheduled castes, backward castes and women. There are fears that some forces are desirous of taking away these features of the constitution affecting its secular and equitable nature. In view of this lurking fear, DSS thought of spreading awareness among the people about the constitution and the need for everyone to protect the constitution and its values of secularism, equality, liberty, fraternity etc. Hence, DSS decided to launch this campaign culminating on the 133-birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on 14th April 2024.
As part of the campaign DSS conducted street meetings, conferences, group discussions in schools, colleges, slums and villages in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. As part of the campaign, DSS distributed booklets in Telugu about the constitution.
Campaign was conducted at the following villages, slums and schools of A.P. and Telangana:
April 2nd 2024: In Andhra Pradesh
Meetings were conducted at Ratnala Cheruvu and Atmakur, Mangalagiri mandal, Guntur district.
April 3rd, 2024:
Meetings were held at the slums, RR Peta and Vambay Colony, Vijayawada.
April 4th, 2024:
Slums of YSR Colony and schools in Bhavani Puram and Prakash Nagar were covered in which the school children and slum dwellers were educated about the need to protect the constitution.
April 5th, 2024:
Meetings were held at CC Nagar, Addagutta and Jagatgiri gutta areas in Hyderabad.
April 6th, 2024:
Campaign was conducted at Veer Nagar slum and Chenvelli and Bobbili Gama villages of Ranga Reddy district of Telangana.
April 8th, 2024:
Meeting was held at BJR Government Degree College, Hyderabad.
April 10th, 2024:
Meetings were held at the Villages of Chevella, Gundala and Shabad.
April 11th, 2024:
Villages of Ethirajpalli, Vikarabad district was covered.
April 12th, 2024:
A conference on the topic was conducted at Ambedkar Resource center, Hyderabad.
April 13th, 2024:
Group meetings were held at Damarla Palli and Machan Palli villages of Ranga Reddy district.
Conference on 12th April 2024: “Save the Constitution – Save India”
A conference on the topic “Save the Constitution – Save India” was held at Ambedkar Resource Centre for a serious discussion and for enlightening the people with well versed resource persons.
Ms. Jhansi Geddam, National Convener of DSS presided over the conference, while the resource persons were: Sri. PSN Murthy, IDAS, VR and Advisor, Prabhudda Bharat International, Ms. Padmaja Shaw, Retired Professor, IFLU and Ms. Krishna Kumari, Political Analyst.
Ms. Jhansi Geddam:
There is lurking danger of the constitution being rewritten to suit conservative and fundamentalist forces. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar framed this constitution providing rights of equality, liberty and fraternity to all the people. These rights provide opportunity for the downtrodden to play a role in politics and become part of the mainstream. Dominant and conservative forces don’t like the downtrodden to come up and they are planning to change this constitution to suit their authoritarian perspectives.
Keeping in mind these type of dangers, Dr. Ambedkar cautioned that if the constitution will be implemented properly if it is in the hands of good people but it will be badly implemented if it is in the hands of bad people. Now the governing elite is dividing people on religious lines and is advocating to turn this country into a Hindu Rastra. Now the attack is aimed at minorities and dalits are being told that they are part of Hindus and Hindutva. This is misleading the SC/ST/BC sections to join hands with the Hindutva forces, not realizing that after subjugating the minorities, these Hindutva forces pounce upon the SC/ST/BC population. The agenda of the Hindutva ideology is to bring back the old caste model of society based on Manu dharma sastra. These forces are attempting to consolidate majority people on the basis of religion and are highlighting Hindu gods and temple. They are diverting the discussion away from economy, unemployment, agriculture and other essential aspects of the country’s development and talking about temple only.
Ms. Padmaja Shaw:
Every five years, we vote for a new government. So far, we have been electing one or the other political party. But the elections being held now are totally different. Present elections are going to decide the fate of democracy forever. If we don’t exercise caution in these elections we may be sealing our fate. Our constitution is framed in such a way to protect the rights of all downtrodden people and women. Constitution has detailed provisions to guide governance of the country in a democratic way in accordance with rule of law. During our childhood i.e. 70 years ago, religious forces were not open and are not able to publicly advocate religion.
It was these religious forces that killed Mahatma Gandhi for propagating peace and non-violence. They killed him because he advocated love towards muslims and condemned hatred against them. The Hindutva forces which were not very powerful earlier are able to spread to all areas of social and political life of the country. They are now occupying all pillars of democracy like media, executive and judiciary. They are suppressing all other views and recently they have closed a few popular U tube channels viewed by scheduled castes and other downtrodden sections. This was done in violation of all rules. One should remember that the present Hindutva forces when they came to power in 2014, they first targeted scheduled castes and killed them. SC, ST (PoA) was diluted and when there was large scale protests by the scheduled castes, then they back stepped. For the time being they are pretending to accommodate SCs as part of Hindutva. But in reality SCs are not given any significant provisions or employment. Opportunities of employment for scheduled castes are closed by large scale privatization. To divert the attention of the people from these attacks, they are highlighting only about the construction of temple. We all should be cautious about these tactics and protect the constitution.
Sri. PSN Murthy:
Please note the poisonous ideology of religious parties. They wish to resurrect the age-old system of suppressing women and confining them to kitchen only. They are planning to turn 85% of the people into robots and slaves. As people we are all engaged in various economic and productive activities like agriculture, trade, employment and service sector. All these activities of the entire population constitute the country’s gross domestic product. If we divide this entire GDP for each person, it comes to Rs.1,72,000/. This amount is Rs. 3,02,000/ if we calculate for the state of Telangana only. If we multiply this to a family of 4 members, it comes to about Rs.12,00,000/ per family. This income that each person in the entire country should be getting is being misappropriated by only 22 persons. This is the very wide gap in the financial status of people that is existing now. We should understand this mechanism of misappropriation of people’s wealth by a few and start questioning it. On the other hand, we are begging for rice and other provisions. That is why the constitution is not being implemented properly. Eradication of economic disparities is necessary for proper implementation of the constitution. When the political parties come and request the votes of the people and distribute some money, you should question them for your share in the economic resources of the country. You should calculate the value of vote by dividing the entire country’s economy among the entire voters of the country. Thus calculated, each vote for the assembly and for the parliamentary constituency is worth Rs.16,00,000.
Our constitution directs that there should be equality among people in economic status and income. Further, as per the constitution everyone should have equal opportunities. But unfortunately, 80 crores of population are still living in poverty even after 75 years of freedom. Everyone should have proper house, education and other essential amenities. Protecting the country means protecting its entire population, but the present political dispensation is openly saying that it cares only for Hindus and not for others. We can protect the constitution only by electing proper people to power. People should be careful about political parties and choose only those political parties who protect the constitution.
Ms. Krishna Kumari:
For the sad state of affairs that exist today even after 75 years of freedom, not only the political parties but we as people also are equally responsible. Constitution remained as it is till now. Up to 2014 the ruling parties did some or other good things like distribution of natural resources, establishing various institutions including universities. But after 2014 not even one school was established. Only temples were constructed. Ayodhya temple is a big show like a 3d movie. Only rich people were invited to the temple event. People should be able to distinguish between political parties that do good and that divide the people. We should teach a lesson to the political parties that divide people on religious lines and instigate clashes and massacres.
April 14th, 2024:
Conducted celebrations at the statue of Dr.B.R. Ambedkar at Tank Bund and at Gundala and Chenvelli villages.
In the campaign and all the meetings Ms. Jhansi Geddam, National Convener of DSS, Satya, National Coordinator and State Coordinators Sridevi, Dedipya, Susanna, Yashoda, Manjula participated and spoke on the topic. People were explained about the main features and values of the constitution. Importance of the constitution in the governance of the country was explained. People were enlightened about the situation of downtrodden people and rights of the people before and after the constitution. Everyone in the country irrespective of their caste and economic status are able to vote and decide the fate of the governments. People of this country always exhibited their support to democratic governance and whenever, the governing elite suppressed the rights, people voted down such political parties. Because of this power among the people, democracy is still protected in this country. People should know their rights, constitutional governance and come forward to protect democracy and secularism. People were cautioned to be aware of political parties that are dividing people on religious lines and spreading hatred against some religious sections. People also should realize how the entire resources of the country are being managed and vote only to those who do not promote concentration of wealth in a few hands. Everyone should realize the importance of education and get their children educated. It is necessary to have social awareness and learn about what is happening in the country and around the world., so that one chooses a proper political party to govern.
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