DR. AMBEDKAR AND THE HINDU CODE BILL 505
not going to allow this motion to come, because that prejudices the right of honourable Members to participate in this important debate.” That the honourable Minister cannot make up his mind, is exactly my grievance from the very beginning about the way in which the consideration of this Bill is taken up from time to time during this session. This itself has been a subject of great adverse comment on my part as well as other honourable members. Even today the honourable the Law Minister is not in a position to say if any other day is going to be or not going to be allotted for this important Bill. If that is so, I hope you will sternly turn down any proposal brought at the end of this week if a motion for consideration of the Bill is brought on a very short notice.
Mr. Speaker : Any way that question is at present hypothetical. Today we are going on with the Bill.
Pandit Mukut Bihari Lal Bhargava (Ajmer Merwara): It is obviously very unfair that the Government are not able to make up their mind even today. On 30th March you were pleased to ask the Leader of the House as to what the position was. A specific question was put by Mr. Maitra as to whether the Hindu Code was going to be taken up or not. No answer to that query was given by the Government Bench with the result that on the 31st, for the first time, we knew that the Bill was going to be taken up. Mr. Chaudhuri who wanted to participate in the debate left for Assam on the presumption that this Bill would not come before the House. It is therefore obviously unfair to the members that it should be brought up in this fashion. The Chair has ample power to protect the rights of Members.
Seth Govind Das (C. P. and Berar : General) : You will remember that on that date the Leader of the House announced that very probably we would be adjourning on the 7th April. I raised the question whether the Hindu Code Bill was going to be taken into consideration in this session or not and you, Sir, said that it was not your business to say anything in that matter and that it was for the Government to arrange their business for the House. Now, at this fag-end of the session, when many members are absent, it is not proper to proceed with a controversial Bill of this nature. I would join with the Members who have just spoken and submit that the protection of the rights and privileges of the Members of this House is your responsibility and you have that right vested in you. Therefore I would request you to say to the Government that at this fag-end of the session and without giving