After India’s Independence, both Ambedkar and Nehru, were of the point of view that people of Independent India should have voting rights, as well as the right to contest elections. Their idea was to bring inclusive democracy in India. A democracy where people have the right to choose their representatives, to overcome the tortures of the Britishers, who were not their chosen leaders. Therefore, they came up with the Representation of People’s Act 1951. Before this act, only people with property and certain caste backgrounds were allowed to contest elections, but this act was a gift to the underprivileged. This act was not something given by the Britishers, but it was Nehru and Ambedkar who came up with this act. From then till 2024, all the general elections took place under this act.
Despite the fact that everyone was equal in the eyes of the law, there were still certain people in the society that thought Dalits and women did not deserve a chance to stand near them or even compete with them. They still were stuck in the time period when Dalits were considered Untouchables, and these upper castes used to think that Dalits could pollute their environment. At this time came the man Illayaperumal, and recommendations from his committee, where untouchability was made a punishable offence under the act Untouchability Offences Act 1955 and Protection of Civil Rights Act 1976. Along with this, these recommendations gave Dalits the freedom to move, pray, preach, study and even fetch water from public wells. This was the first committee of such kind and it also worked towards removing the priesthood. One usually defines Dalits as people who have been left out on various benefits from the society, and this surely puts women in the category of Dalits. The Nehru government did not leave any stone unturned when it came to women of India. That government also laid an outline for the protection of sex work under the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act, 1956. This act made buying and selling of girls an offense. It also prohibited men who enjoy their life on the earnings of sex workers. Unfortunately, these brothels do exist and human trafficking takes place.
Another problem which came to the surface after India’s Independence was the situation of various states. Being a land of kings and princes, India was left over with some five-hundred princely states. These rulers were bound by the British India government to sign an agreement known as the Instrument of Accession, wherein they were supposed to make a choice between India and Pakistan. Majority of the rulers joined with India, but there were some states such as Hyderabad and Kashmir where signing of these agreements was a task, but all the late congressmen were able to bring these states into a unison. They were able to confine 14 states, and 6 UTs in the country.
Another issue that arose was language, where every state was given the liberty to choose their own mother tongue and without any imposition of Hindi. These were the social matters that they worked upon. Along with that, even having very less financial resources, the country was moving greatly towards building up infrastructure. Be it development of mines, automobiles, or other technological advancements. Even the trade relations between the states improved under Article 302. Nehru was a Prime Minister, every country deserves, and especially a Prime Minister for the younger generation. A Prime Minister who would build IITs, AIIMs, IIMs for them and not the Prime Minister who would ask them to fry bhajiyas.
This brings to our minds that our first generation leaders were able to work on such problems for a new nation, which if arisen today would create havoc amongst the political leaders. Nehru and his contemporaries worked towards building the nation and they were surely able to nurture a young India.