Following is the answer by Pavel to the question asked by Dr. Ambedkar critics 

When did Dr. Ambedkar reject the case and who asked him to defend Bhagat Singh?

A surge in questions on why Ambedkar did not defend Bhagat Singh are on the rise to divert attention from why the Congress/RSS/Brahmins/Sikhs rejected to defend Bhagat Singh.

Around the year 1932 the congress leaders started acknowledging Dr. Ambedkar as leader of the depressed classes only because they longed for him to save their precious “Mahatma’s” life. Only now, after seven decades of independence, his works are being recognised by all parties. At such times we are asking questions why he did not accept a particular case. A more appropriate question whould be “Why Congress (who claimed only their members were patriots but busy taunting Dr. Ambedkar as traitor) did not defend the revolutionaries?

Some reasons why Dr. Ambedkar may not have been involved in the Bhagat Singh case:

Was Dr. Ambedkar a successful lawyer – YES

Did he fight cases on behalf of freedom fighters – YES

It should be kept in mind that around the year 1928 were extremely busy times for Dr. Ambedkar. As a person who was to become the emancipator of the untouchables, he was fully focused on their problems. He had numerous historic meetings and conferences to attend. was frequently travelling to different villages, towns and districts, was busy with the Bombay workers strike, started committees, temple entry movement, issues regarding idol worship and had undertaken murder trials. He was writing replies to reports regarding Simon commission, handled issues like Khoti system and much more. The list is endless. To take on a high profile case was simply too impractical as he gave his full attention to the work at hand and so would have to give up at least some if not most tasks in the given list.

Dr. Ambedkar also broke his legs around the October 1929. He launched the Nasik temple entry (March 1930). He was also busy in establishing schools, student hostels for the untouchables. Amidst this busy schedule he could hardly have found any time to accept briefs, especially for a high profile case that could last months and months if not years. He was hardly taking on any cases as he began his work as a professor (this too part time, just to make end meet).

It should be noted that Dr. Ambedkar was defending the Chirner firing case that ended in 1931. He was also busy with thecrucial round table conferences. Could anyone else in Dr Ambedkar’s shoes (during 1928-1931) have possibly taken on the Bhagat Singh case, that too without anyone approaching him?

Author: Pavel