Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s Engagement with the Environmental Question

Abstract

The relevance of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar to understand the complexities of Indian society and polity in contemporary times is well acknowledged. Particularly, his discourse on equity and inclusive analysis of the parameters and possibilities of democracy in Independent India. However, Dr. Ambedkar’s vision as an environmental and developmental planning expert or as natural resource manager of exceptional caliber is not as well known. This paper attempts to identify and contextualize the ideas of Ambedkar in the overall context of Indian environmentalism. With ‘nature for all’ and ‘all for nature’ forming the crux of Ambedkar’s eco-philosophy, I explore the ideas of Ambedkar from the perspective of environment, the activist role of Ambedkar from the perspective of environmental justice to the poor and finally the solution he offers to Indian environmental problems by invoking the ideas of Buddhism in relation to a bio-centric world. Indian society is organized according to a caste system. This form of social order permits little mobility and subjugates those individuals comprising the lower ranks of society. With the unpredictability of climate change threatening all populations, low-caste communities are left neglected and in dire need of political attention. In a way, the ideas of Ambedkar reminds us that environmental governance should be crafted based upon principle of equity and bio-ethical spirit to cater to the needs of all sections of human society.