406 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
Bill ? I have very great admiration for my honourable friend Dr. Ambedkar, with whom I had the privilege to work for a number of years before this Assembly. I respect him. I know the performance he has been daily putting in connection with the Constitution Act, ( Honourable Members: ‘Hear, hear’) I appreciate him. I admire him. But I will never appreciate what he has been doing in connection with this Social Legislation which is sure to disrupt the Hindu society by the revolutionary changes which very few of us can now realise. ( Honourable Members: ‘No revolution. No, no’) Yes, I am glad it is “No no.’ If this Bill is passed into law…………….
Babu Ramnarayan Singh (Bihar: General): No.
Pandit Lakshmi Kanta Maitra: What no ?
Babu Ramnarayan Singh : It would not be passed into law.
Pandit Lakshmi Kanta Maitra: I see. If this Bill is passed into law as it is I will then see who is a better prophet—myself or those who say “No, no.”
Shri L. Krishnasvvami Bharathi (Madras : General): You wait and see.
Pandit Lakshmi Kanta Maitra : Well, wait and see. Posterity will judge, and I do not think you will have to wait till posterity. You will have to wait only till the next General Election to see what the country has to say about you and your work.
Maulana Hasrat Mohani: Hear, hear. Well done.
Pandit Lakshmi Kanta Maitra: Sir, the first point raised by my sister Shrimati Durgabai was that having passed that Directive principle, you should not now object to the Hindu Code. When that Directive Principle was accepted by the House. I thought that the snake had been killed—the Hindu Code Bill,—but I now see that the snake was only scotched ; it has reared its head again and will in time spread out its fangs of venom. If you are true to your Directive Principles, if you mean to act on them, then why bring the Hindu Code Bill. Bring a Universal Civil Code applicable to Hindus, to Christians, ( Shri L Krishnaswami Bharati: ‘Will you support it ? ”) to Parsis, to Sikhs, to Jains, to Buddliists, to Muslims. You dare not touch the Muslims but you know that Hindu society today is in such a bad way that you can venture to do anything with it. Only a few ultra-modern persons, who are vocal, but have no real support in the country, are interested in this Bill. ( Interruption ) .