'Ambedkar's acts thought to be opposition type but included in Cabinet for Constitution-making'

INDIA's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru had acknowledged that some people were surprised when he invited BR Ambedkar to join the Cabinet as was thought that his “normal activities were of the opposition type rather than of the governmental type”.

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Nehru, however, felt that Ambedkar played a very constructive role in Constitution making and could continue to do so in governmental activities.

In his tribute in the Lok Sabha on Ambedkar's passing away on December 6, 1956, Nehru said Ambedkar is often spoken of as one of the architects of our Constitution and “there is no doubt that no one took greater care and trouble over Constitution making” than him.

Addressing the Lok Sabha on the day he passed away, Nehru said the way Ambedkar will be remembered most will be “as a symbol of the revolt against all the oppressive features of Hindu society”.

Ambedkar, India's first law minister from August 1947 to October 1951, resigned from the Cabinet because the Hindu Code Bill was not taken up for consideration and passing as one Bill. Ultimately it got taken up and passed as four different Bills during 1955-58.

"I have to convey to the House the sad news of the death of Dr Ambedkar. Only two days ago, I believe, the day before yesterday, he was present in the other House of which he was a Member. The news, therefore, of his death today came as a shock to all of us who had no inkling of such a thing happening so soon," Nehru said.

"Dr Ambedkar, as every Member of this House knows, played a very important part in the making of the Constitution of India, subsequently in the Legislative part of the Constituent Assembly and later in the Provisional Parliament.

"After that, he was not a Member of Parliament for some time. Then, he came back to the Rajya Sabha of which he was a sitting Member,” he said.

He is often spoken of as one of the architects of our Constitution, Nehru said and asserted that there is no doubt that no one took greater care and trouble over Constitution making than Ambedkar.