542 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
Mr. Naziruddin Ahmad : It was in 1945 in connection with this enquiry. They went to Lahore and a large number of ladies came and absolutely blocked the progress of evidence. They said, “We do not want it. It is not to our benefit. It is against our idea.”
Babu Ramnarayan Singh : Hear, hear.
Mr. Naziruddin Ahmad : In fact, the situation was so grave, that this gentleman when he was faced with the sad spectacle of thousands of ladies opposing the Bill, he could not proceed and it was difficult to repress them and their sentiment and so further evidence was absolutely stopped. This is what he has referred to. If he is guilty of inconsistency, he is certainly to be credited with some amount of honesty.
Babu Ramnarayan Singh : Hear, hear.
Mr. Nazruddin Ahmad : Does consistency lie in sticking to one’s opinion although it is proved wrong ? This is inconsistency. This is doggedness. This is neither good nor fair. This gentleman when found that not only male opinion but female opinion was absolutely against him, he said he was also against it. Would it be fair or proper on anybody’s part to quote that stray personal opinion of his ? If so, one could quote writings and speeches of the honourable Minister himself against him. This would not be fair. Every writing and speech has to be taken in the context. It may often happen that we have to act in public capacity and therefore, for that purpose, we have to sink our personal opinion. So Dr. Mitter acted patriotically and courageously in giving up his personal opinion in deference to the opinion of the public. In this Dr. Mitter performed a patriotic and obvious duty, and no blame should be attached to it. On the other hand, the other respected Members, what did they do ? I do not wish to be hard upon them, but they all of them, though they promised that the Bill would be considered in the light of public opinion, they stuck to their own opinion, and actually taunted Dr. Mitter
3 P.M. for having changed his opinion. Is it to be, Sir, that we should never change our opinions ? If that be so, then mankind would cease to be rational. We have got to change our opinions.
Mr. Speaker: Order, order. May I tell the honourable Member that on each point he need not necessarily go into the general principles and all the details. He may just invite attention to the point and then go to the next point; because if he carries on like this—he has now gone on for nearly two days—there will be no end to this discussion.