544 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
certificate. I ask in all seriousness, is it contented, in the light of the disclosures of changes made that the Bill has not been substantially altered ? On the original Bill we have not got public opinion, and what public opinion we procured, was against it. We have, therefore, got to ascertain public opinion. And then, the Bill was sent to the various Provincial Governments for opinion. The opinions of the various Governments have not even been referred to in the House. They are collected and circulated to the Members. I shall, however, confine myself to the opinion of the Government of Bengal. I assert without fear of contradiction that in Bengal the opposition is the greatest. You propose to abolish the Mitakshra system of inheritance and do honour to Bengal by accepting their theory of family life. In Bengal you have the greatest objection.
An Honourable Member: Objection is from everywhere.
Mr. Naziruddin Ahmad: Of course, from everywhere there is objection, but the greatest objection is from Bengal. It is the most persistent, and so very authoritative. The whole of Bengal, including some educated and cultured ladies think that the Bill is not wanted there. In fact, many ladies like the wife of the late Sir Asutosh Mookerjee, the mother of Dr. Mookerjee, here, lady Ranu Mookerjee, wife of Mr. B.N. Mookerjee, and a host of other ladies have opposed this move.
Dr. Mono Mohan Das : Who are the other ladies please ? Please name them also.
Mr. Naziruddin Ahmad : I have to respect the request of the Chair to finish soon. I cannot give my honourable friend preference over the request of the Chair. Sir, the names are there in the report. My honourable friend’s request to name them shows that he has not read the report. It is a pity that this volume of opinion has not been read. It is a pity that the Department has not supplied the report to all. It is a pity that private Members have to undergo all the labour and expense to collect the information and to supply the House with the information. But the names are on record, and it is useless for any member to ask questions about facts which are on the record. It is pity that I have got to refer to this matter.
Well, Sir, I was submitting that there is lot of opposition in Bengal. There are five High Court judges of the Calcutta High Court—and one of them now adorns the Federal Court and they are against it. Their opinion is to be found in the Report also, and it is referred