DR. AMBEDKAR AND THE HINDU CODE BILL 543
And I do not propose to allow him to go on in this manner. He must bring his remarks to a close within a reasonable time, and I think another fifteen minutes would be quite reasonable.
Mr. Naziruddin Ahmad : I bow down to your decision. I hops, Sir, that these fifteen minutes will be entirely mine.
Mr. Speaker: Yes, he may finish by 3-15.
Mr. Naziruddin Ahmad : Next I want to emphasise the fact that we are a democratic body. We are working as a democratic body. We cannot say that democracy is unfit for our society. It is democracy that has brought us into being. That democracy was sufficient to wrest power from the British Government. That democracy is sufficient to empower us to frame our Constitution. And I say that democracy would be intelligent and competent enough to understand its own interests in the matter of the Hindu Law. Therefore there should be no shirking, no by-passing, no flouting of public opinion. Where is the harm in ascertaining public opinion ? In fact, the Bill, I submit, has been mutilated. It has been interpolated upon. I do not mean to say there has been dishonest interpolations, but honest interpolations, but they are not the less interpolations. There have been interpolations in the Bible—honest interpolations. There are great authorities pointing out that fact. So, I say, there are interpolations in the Bill. The Bill, however, was presented to the Select Committee with the guarantee that there was no serious change, and that some changes made had been noted by the Members. Yet, is it possible, or practicable, Sir, for any one unaided to note all the changes ? In fact, all these changes, it is impossible to take note of. And therefore, the Select Committee was told, and they were asked to take it, that the Departmental Bill was merely a reproduction of the original Bill, and that no substantial changes had been made, and therefore, they failed to note and consider the changes. That is not their fault. In these circumstances, the Select Committee, although they tried their best, unconsciously, I submit, they must have omitted to note many important changes, on account of the guarantee. And then, Sir, if that is so, if there are so many changes, and when these changes are substantial, then the guarantee given by the majority of the Select Committee that the Bill was not so changed as to require re-publication is only the usual guarantee. They said that the Bill had not been so altered as to require, under Standing Order 41(5), any re-publication and that the Bill be passed as amended by the Select Committee. This is only the usual stock