456 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
Several Honourable Members : Assured by whom ?
Pandit Lakshmi Kanta Maitra : Most people knew. It was not a case of ordinary business of this House. No single Member of Government stands, up and says. “I give you an assurance that this will be discussed”. Nothing like that. Everybody got the impression from Party talks and elsewhere that the matter was not going to come up at any rate in this session. ( Interruption ). That being so, if it is taken up now it will be showing very scant courtesy to the House. I feel this Bill is of such a controversial nature that I do not think that you should allow this Bill to be proceeded with in the way in which it is being done repeatedly in its different stages. Sir, it is for you to consider the point of view which I am placing before the House. The House is attenuated, and because the whole Budget discussion was over most Members were under that impression—and quite reasonably. When they had no idea of the change suddenly to spring a surprise by bringing in a motion like this at this late stage, of the session, is, I think, hardly fair.
An Honourable Member : We want your decision, Sir.
Mr. Deputy Speaker : But there is no point of order here.
Shri Mahavir Tyagi (U.P. : General): But then I want information as to how long the discussions are proposed to be held. There are friends in my Province who had requested me to inform them when the Hindu Code Bill comes for consideration. I could not inform them because, I did not know whether the Bill will be considered only for today or for tomorrow or any other day or till the end of the session. So, Sir, will you now be in a position to tell the House how long we are going to discuss this Bill so that it there is time for them to come, I might inform them.
Mr. Deputy Speaker : I am in full sympathy with what Pandit Maitra has said, but I do not find any way out of it. As far as I am aware—I have been here for a number of years in this Assembly— when any matter of such importance where a number of people are interested, comes up, the agenda for the next week would be at least read out on the previous Friday. I have been accustomed to some procedure. Evidently it was not expected that there would be time for this Bill, but it was put in when one day was extended and time found for today and tomorrow. That is why previous notice could not have been given. I believe the honourable Members would try to take as good advantage of it as possible by sending telegrams, etc.