z:\ ambedkar\vol-02\vol2-04.indd MK SJ+YS 21-9-2013/YS-8-11-2013 270
270 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
Similarly Mussolini has said :
“We are hungry for land, because we are prolific and intend to remair so.” (From “Foreign Affairs”, October 1926).
“Italy demands that her indisputable need of sun and land shall be recognised by all other nations. Should they fail to do so. Italy will be forced to take matters into her own hand.” (From “Sunday Times”, November 14, 1926).
The Deputy Speaker : The honourable member has exceeded the time-limit.
Mr. B. K. Gaikwad : Sir, may I know what is the time-limit ?
The Deputy Speaker : Half-an-hour.
Mr. B. K. Gaikwad : On a point of information, Sir. The honourable member who moved the last resolution (Mr. Shrikant) spoke, I believe, for more than an hour.
The Deputy Speaker : Extension of the time is within the discretion of the Chair.
Mr. B. K. Gaikwad : Can that indulgence not be given to other resolutions ?
Mr. P. J. Roham : Sir, I do not wish to take much time of the House, but I have still some more points to make and request you to kindly allow me some more minutes.
It is, therefore, obvious that all those who stand for permanent worldbrotherhood, must discountenance every attempt at increase of numbers and must try their best to limit populations by means of birth-control.
The fear that birth-control propaganda will fail to filter down to the masses and the result of the movement will thus be dysgenic instead of eugenic, is also groundless. The experience gained in Western countries establishes the fact that the lower classes do take advantage of contraceptives as soon as they are made cognizant of them, the need being greater in their cases. The masses in our country, though illiterate, are intelligent enough to know in what their own interest lies and hence there is no doubt that they will fully utilise this invention also as soon as they are made aware of its existence. Vasectomy would be found to be useful in the case of such persons and hence Government and municipalities must provide facilities in this respect in their hospitals, etc.
The late principal Gole has clearly shown in his book “ हिदु धर्म आणि सुधारणा ” that even villagers have many virtues and it is really they that replenish the supply of good citizens.
The opponents of this movement try to show its futility by pointing out the examples of France, Germany and Italy but they forget that we cannot follow these countries unless it is proved that their attempts at the increase of their populations are justified. In the first place, it must be kept in mind that the birth-rates of these nations are much lower than the birth-rate of our country. Our birth-rate is 35 whereas in 1936 the birth-rates of Italy,