Ambedkar and B.N. Rau: The Architect and the Engineer of the Indian Constitution
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Indian Polity (Making of the Constitution, Constituent Assembly, Drafting Committee, Preamble, Fundamental Rights, DPSP); Modern Indian History (Contribution of key personalities - Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Sir B.N. Rau).
Mains:
General Studies Paper 1: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues.
General Studies Paper 2: Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, significant provisions and basic structure; Separation of powers between various organs.
General Studies Paper 4 (Ethics): Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and the world (Ambedkar's views on social justice, constitutional morality).
Key Highlights from the News
A new argument is emerging from some quarters that the true architect of the Indian Constitution was not Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, but Sir B.N. Rau.
The article criticizes such arguments as politically motivated attempts to downplay Dalit agency in India's formation history and undermine Ambedkar's role.
Both were indispensable in the making of the Constitution, but their roles were distinctly different.
Sir B.N. Rau:
Was the Constitutional Adviser to the Constituent Assembly.
He studied various constitutions and, based on committee reports, prepared a "rough draft" of the Constitution. This was a technical and preparatory task.
He was not a member of the Constituent Assembly.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar:
Was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee.
His task was to transform Rau's technical draft into a complete political covenant.
Despite crises like the partition, it was Ambedkar who defended each provision of the Constitution in the Assembly and built consensus among different interests.
Ambedkar himself, in his last speech, explicitly praised the roles of B.N. Rau and S.N. Mukherjee (Chief Draftsman).
Author's Conclusion: Rau was the "constitutional engineer" who built the structure of the Constitution. However, it was Ambedkar who gave it a just and moral soul through Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles. Therefore, Ambedkar is the "moral architect" of the Constitution.
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