Today's Editorial

Ambedkar touch in rethinking Social Justice Policies

“Cultivation of mind should be the ultimate Aim of Human Existence.”  - Dr. B. R. Ambedkar

Relevance: GS I and II (Social Issues and Justice)

• Prelims: Constitutional provisions to safeguard marginalized classes;

• Mains: Issues of SC/ST and marginalized section; Liberalization and its effects on Indian society;

Current Scenario of Modern Democracy and Socially Marginalized Classes

• Modern democracy is synonymous with both the values of social harmony and reforms that ensure dignity and self-respect to its participants, especially the historically deprived and socially marginalized people. 

• A tokenistic presence in current times:

• • Elite domination: It is a norm to witness the domination of the social elites as powerful authorities, national leaders, business tycoons, and cultural influencers. 
    • • The control and the hegemony of the conventional ruling class have been perpetuated without many disturbances, whereas the socially marginalized groups have only managed to have a tokenistic presence in the domain of power and privileges. 
  • Though various political regimes vouch for implementing social justice policies, this has little impact in ensuring the significant participation of the worst-off social groups in the domain of power. 

• Institutional deviation in current times:

• Democratic institutions are mandated to engage with the worst off social groups and ensure their substantive participation as a significant governing class in political affairs. 
• Ironically, the modernist objectives have been partially achieved only today. With the ascent of neo-liberal economic development, the conventional support that Dalits and Adivasis have received from state institutions has derailed. 
• Currently, the state deviates from its responsibilities.

Why the principles of B.R. Ambedkar are necessary in current times for social justice?

Ambedkar becomes crucial because his approach allows us to diagnose illnesses in the social and economic order. 

• Towards social welfare policy: His principles would reprimand the current realm of the neo-liberal economy for its neglect of the concerns of Dalits and Adivasis and would direct the market to be more responsible towards the worst-off social groups. 
• Prevent loopholes in policy making: It would also direct the state to reduce the pitfalls and slippages now in social justice policies and make them more relevant in the present day.
• Towards Democratic Representation: Dr. Ambedkar offers ethical corrective measures to make institutions more democratic, representative, and closer to the claims and desires of marginalized social groups. 
• Sensitivity towards diversity: Though the mechanism of social justice is not radical and transformative (unlike the Marxist model), it provides moral sensibilities to institutions and makes it responsible towards the diverse population.

How the Modern state can be the key transforming force for the emancipation of Dalits and Adivasis? 

It is an appropriate time to see how an integral and substantive part of the new economic order can reduce the perpetual subjugation of Adivasis as a passive exploited class. 

• Need to expand social justice policies: It is required that the new social justice policies be expanded to the private economy, with a focus on democratizing the working classes and reducing poverty. 

• A substantive integration of social justice policies in directing the prospects of the market economy would integrate Dalits and Adivasis as a part of the working classes and also elevate their stature as influential upholders of capitalist assets. 
• Ambedkar looked upon the modern state as the key transformative force for the emancipation of Dalits and Adivasis. 
• Need for technological support: To protect Adivasi’s concerns regarding their conservation of habitat and traditions, there must be an updation in society. 
• The current phase of economic development, technological innovations, and the expansion of the market economy should also be directed toward making Dalit and Adivasi groups as influential arbitrators in the neo-liberal discourse. 
• Look beyond the conventional policies: Newer conditions and reparation policies should be adopted to fight the historical wrongs and social discrimination against these groups, ensuring their equitable participation in the diverse spheres of economic development. 
• The new framework of social justice must ensure that an impressive class among Dalits and Adivasis emerges as the leaders, business entrepreneurs, and influencers in the economic sphere. 
• More affirmative action policies are required to democratize the niche sphere of big businesses so that the Dalit Adivasis class should also emerge as industrialists, market leaders, and crucial influencers in the global economy.
• Need for Behavioral change: Further, Dalits and Adivasis should not be identified only as the poor and migrant working class that is dependent upon the benevolence of corporate social responsibility for their livelihood. 
• Instead, these groups should be advanced as the essential components of urbanization, industrial production, and technological innovations. 

Conclusion:

In the neo-liberal realm, the state has been converted as the passive associate of big business that readily deviates from its social responsibilities and welfarist values. Ambedkar's version of social justice would help us redefine capitalism as a pluralist and cooperative mode of economic order that guarantees the substantive participation of Dalits and Adivasis in the market economy and in the associated institutions of power and privileges.

BEYOND EDITORIAL

Constitutional provisions for the protection and development of marginalized classes:

The provision and safeguards for Backward Classes and especially for SCs & STs have been incorporated in the Constitution of India. The safeguards are in the field of social, economic, political, educational, and cultural services under the State for the people belonging to these communities for their development.

Social Safeguards:

• Articles 17, 23, 24, and 25(2) (b) of the Constitution enjoins the State to provide social safeguards to Scheduled Castes. 
• Article 17 relates to the abolition of untouchability being practiced in society. 
• The Parliament enacted the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955, and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 to tackle the problem of untouchability, which is being practiced against Scheduled Castes.
• Article 23 prohibits traffic in human beings and ‘beggars’ and other similar forms of forced labor and provides that any contravention of this provision shall be an offense punishable by law. 
• Although there are no specific mentions of the SCs in this Article but majority of the bonded labour comes from SCs. 
• Thus, this Article has a special significance for them. The Parliament enacted the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976 for the identification, liberation, and rehabilitation of bonded laborers.
• Article 24 provides that no child below the age of 14 years shall be employed to work in any factory or mine or engaged in any other hazardous employment. Even in this Article, there is no specific mention of the SCs but a substantial portion of child labor engaged in hazardous employment belongs to SCs.
• Article 25(2) (b) provides that Hindu religious institutions of a public character shall be opened to all classes and sections of Hindus. The term Hindu includes persons professing Sikh, Jain, and Buddhist religions.

Economic Safeguards:

• Articles 23, 24, and 46 form part of the economic safeguards for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The provisions of Articles 23 and 24 have already been discussed in earlier paragraphs.
• Article 46 provides, “The States shall promote with special care the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the people, and in particular, of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, and shall protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation.”

Educational and Cultural safeguards:

• Articles 15(4) empowers the State to make special provisions for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens and for SCs. 
• This provision has enabled the State to reserve seats for SCs in educational institutions in general and professional courses etc.

Political Safeguards:

• Reservation of seats for SCs/STs in the local bodies of the States/UTs, Legislative Assemblies of the State, and in Parliament are provided in the Constitution of India as follows:
• Article 243D Reservation of seats: Seats shall be reserved for:
  • The Scheduled Castes; and
  • the Scheduled Tribes in every Panchayat and the number of seats so reserved shall bear, as nearly as may be, the same proportion to the total number of seats to be filled by direct election in that Panchayat as the population of the Scheduled.
• Castes in that Panchayat area or of the Scheduled Tribes in that Panchayat area bear to the total population of that area and such seats may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies in a Panchayat.

Mains PYQ

Q. What are the two major legal initiatives by the state since Independence, addressing discrimination against Scheduled Tribes (ST)? (UPSC 2017)

Q. “Institutional quality is a crucial driver of economic performance”. In this context suggest reforms in the Civil Service to strengthen democracy. (UPSC 2020)