(Special on National Panchayat Raj Day)
SR Darapuri, National President, All India Peoples Front
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar opposed the village Panchayat Raj system primarily because he believed it reinforced social inequalities and perpetuated caste-based oppression. He argued that villages in India were not idyllic, democratic units but rather centers of caste dominance, where upper-caste elites-controlled resources, power, and decision-making. This structure marginalized lower castes, particularly Dalits, denying them justice and equal participation.
Ambedkar felt that decentralizing power to village panchayats would entrench these inequities further, as local elites could manipulate the system to maintain their authority without external checks. He favored a centralized, constitutional framework with strong legal protections to ensure equality and safeguard marginalized communities. In his view, urban governance or state-level systems were less likely to be dominated by caste hierarchies and offered better opportunities for social reform.
This perspective was notably expressed during the Constituent Assembly debates, where he cautioned against romanticizing village self-governance without addressing its deep-rooted social flaws.
