DR. AMBEDKAR AND THE HINDU CODE BILL 547
as Pandit Maitra with good humour suggests. It is vismriti —absolute forgetfulness. It is a new Veda. There are four Vedas, the Sama Veda, Rig Veda, the Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda. I think the new Veda should be called Dr. Amba Veda and this is the fifth veda in utter defiance and disregard of all the four Vedas which it supersedes. Sir, I thank you.
- Pandit Mukut Bihari Lal Bhargava : Mr. Speaker, Sir, we have been discussing the Hindu Code Bill from yesterday. We had discussed it in February also. Before I proceed to discuss the merits of this measure, which is admittedly of a highly controversial nature, which aims at the utter demolition of the structure of Hindu society. I would like to put on record my emphatic protest against the way in which the Government is pursuing this measure of vital importance, a matter of life and death to the Hindu Society. It is well known that this Bill was rushed through in the legislature almost on the last day, that is on the 9th of April
1948, when it was not discussed even to the extent that a very ordinary measure is usually discussed in this House. Further, in this session, we find that instead of giving consistent consideration to this matter the Government on the plea of want of time due to the Budget session, wishes to rush this Bill through this House. I would ask respectfully, though humbly, is it fair to the House that a measure of this vital importance, an equal of which, I submit, has never been on the anvil of this legislature since its inception should be rushed through in this manner ? However, it is for the Government to decide and I feel it my duty to sound a note of warning to the Government that it should pause and consider as to what is the haste and hurry about this matter, and why in preference to a number of very important and emergent measures, this Bill is being rushed through. I would ask what will happen to the Hindu society if the Hindu society could survive the onslaught of centuries of foreign aggression and foreign rule ? Will it die out of existence if this measure is not brought on the statute book ? I submit, Sir, this unusual haste and hurry is due to the fact which was hinted by my learned friend Mr. Naziruddin Ahmad, that my honourable friend, the Law Minister is now sure that the public opinion of Hindus is behind the measure. I take courage even to submit, Sir, that the weight of public opinion is against the measure. What is the criterion to judge whether the public opinion is in favour of this measure or against it ? The only criterion that can possibly be applied to is: What is the weight of
- C.A. (Leg.) D., Vol. III, Part II, 2nd April 1949, pp. 2276-89.