340 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
in all humility and with a view to safeguarding the rights and prestigious of the House. I now leave this point and come to the second point.
In regard to marriage and divorce which are very important questions, what does the Code say and what are the facts at present ? In Punjab no specific ceremonies are required for marriages which are called Karewa and Chadar, Andazi marriages. The woman puts on the bangles supplied by the husband or the husband puts the Chadar on the wife and there the matter ends. ( Shri Mahavir Tyagi: “Charming marriage”) It is very easy for Mr. Tyagi to avail himself of such a procedure. It is not a sacramental or civil marriage. Again, in the original Code there was a loophole. Such persons could come to court and get themselves registered. The changed rules is that unless the marriage is sacramental, it cannot be registered. There are other points on which I shall have occasion to speak before you, but I wish to make certain general observations in regard to what is happening in regard to many persons and what has not been considered from the point of view of the common man.
In the mofussil areas, the people are illiterate. They are poor. They do not know the intricacies of the law. On the question of divorce, when Dr. Ambedkar said that he was speaking for ninety per cent. of the population, I know that he was saying nothing but the truth. In regard to this ninety per cent. How does the divorce take place today ? They go to a petition writer and get a letter of release. Another way is they congregate together and put a white sheet on the woman.
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : And supply a good deal of liquor to the fellows assembled !
Pandit Thakur Das Bhargava : That may be so, but it is not part of the ceremony. What is the present law, Sir ? What have our leaders done for you ? I am a representative of those poor people. I include myself in them. But when Dr. Ambedkar just by his finger indicates that he is one of those he will excuse me if I do not agree. Dr. Ambedkar lives here in a paradise.
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I have lived in Improvement Trust chawls for several years who charged me rupees three as rent.
Pandit Thakur Das Bhargava : You can crush them under your feet: you can crush them under your thumb, but Sir, do you think that any poor villager getting about Re. 1 or Rs. 1/8/- a day could go to a district judge without the help of a lawyer ? Dr. Ambedkar