This is an #India #history toot..
Yesterday was Constitution Day, the day we celebrate the adoption of the Indian Constitution on 26 November 1949

In honour of Constitution Day, we invite you to read a little bit about the author of the constitution, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, who remains a hero to Indian leftists to this day

For some fact-y background, here is his wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._R._Ambedkar

To explain his influence on society would take more than just one post.. he was a Dalit man (we don't use the "u" word) who studied law and economics at Oxford, was a leader in the struggle for independence, and urged his Hindu comrades to give up Hinduism because of its inherently casteist roots

His book _Annihilation of Caste_ is recommended reading for any leftist seeking to understand Indian society, politics, and how caste has shaped (and continues to shape) the country today.. in fact, in most of the country, you will find many shops and cab drivers post a photo of Ambedkar on their wall/dashboard to remember him

If you do read AoC (links below), you may come to better understand the "isms" in your own society like Racism and Classism. In the end, Ambedkar - or Babasaheb as we affectionately call him - renounced his religion, declared himself a socialist and a buddhist.. he is also the founder or father of _Ambedkarism_, a political ideology that is explicitly socialist and anti-caste, and which builds on and critiques Marx in some useful ways, and continues to be a guiding star for Dalits and leftists

We encourage you to read more about Ambedkar's political philosophy and influence, and recommend this article as a good place to start https://velivada.com/2018/04/05/ambedkarism-the-theory-of-dalit-liberation/

You can also find links to Babasaheb's writings and speeches (including Annihilation of Caste) in several different formats here https://velivada.com/dr-b-r-ambedkar-books-2/

#JaiBhim #Ambedkarism #DalitLiberation #ConstitutionDay