390 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
which there is a lot of hue and cry throughout this country should not have come before this House for discussion or enactment.
When I hear in this house as well as outside the cry about the equality of woman with man I fail to understand it . . . .
Mr. Tajamul Husain: May I ask the honourable Member why he accepted membership on the Committee when he is opposed to the constitution of this very honourable house.
Babu Ramnarayan Singh : There are many people who are confounded. The measure was sent to the Select Committee. This means that the House accepted the principle of the measure but this does not mean that every member has accepted the measure or accepted the principle of the measure. There are so many principles involved in this measure that so far as the house is concerned nobody can say that it has accepted anything and everything . . .
Shri L. Krishnaswami Bharathi: If it was sent to the Select Committee, it means that it accepts the principle.
Babu Ramnarayan Singh: I was talking about the equality of man and woman. According to our Shastras man is not complete; nor is woman complete. According to our Shastras woman is called Ardhangi and even so man is not complete . . .
An Honourable Member: What is man called ?
Babu Ramnarayan Singh : Man is also half. I may tell you ....
Pandit Lakshmi Kanta Maitra (West Bengal: General): Sir, it is impossible to speak in the house when an honourable member addresses it on an important measure like this there are innumerable criticism, and running commentaries, and laughter going on simultaneolusly. It is not in the interest of the dignity of the House. Members who do not like the speech may at least keep quiet so that those who want to listen may at least listen.
Mr. Chairman : Honourable members will kindly allow the speaker to proceed.
Babu Ramnarayan Singh : Sir, I thank my honourable friend Pandit Maitra for the encouragement he has given me. I was talking about equality. So far as the purposes of the world are concerned and so far as the continuity of the human race is concerned there
is no question of equality or inequality between man and
3 P M woman. Nobody can compare the hand with the feet, whether the hand is more useful or the feet are more useful, whether this eye