DR. AMBEDKAR AND THE HINDU CODE BILL 597
abolished untouchability in the Constitution. Now we take the social reform further and take away all legal sanction for caste. Here in this Bill whether it is for marriage or for any other purpose, all Hindus from the so called Untouchables upto the so called Acharya Brahmins—all of them are one.
Some Honourable Members : Without a caste, who is a Hindu ?
The Honourable Shri K. Santhanam : My friend asks “Without a caste, who is a Hindu ?” With the caste, I think, Hindu is a monster according to me. (Hear, hear). In this country we want to establish a Hindu Community without caste. Either we cease to be Hindus altogether or we establish Hinduism without caste. There is no alternative left for us.
Shri Lakshminarayan Sahu : Mohammadans also can be called Hindus.
The Honourable Shri K. Santhanam : On the day the Muslims accept the Gita and Vedanta, I am prepared to embrace them as Hindus.
Shri M. Tirumala Rao : Even Gita refers to caste.
Mr. Deputy Speaker : Let there be less of this cross talk. The hon. Member may go on. Each one is trying to persuade the other.
The Honourable Shri K. Santhanam : In spite of interruptions I am going to convince some of my friends. My friend Mr. Tirumala Rao says that I am swearing by the Gita. What I am saying is they form the minimum article of faith for all the Hindus. Therefore, if after this Bill, there are no distinctions between Hindus, Muslims and Christians, then it is better for the whole country. We are not proud of keeping alive distinctions which have no meaning or which are irrational. If Muslims also remove all such distinctions which are irrational; if Christians remove all distinctions which are irrational, we shall before long meet on a plane in which we are all one—whatever we may call ourselves. Meanwhile our object both in the Constitution and in this Bill is to see that the majority community in this country are strong, united and have shed all prejudices and practices which have divided it into sects and will become an invincible foundation on which the glory and strength of future India can be built. I am sure that without this Bill and without the changes the Bill advocates, the Hindu community will be a weak, torn and unprogressive community and if the majority of the people continue in that condition we cannot make much of the political and other economic opportunities which the Constitution and God have given us. Therefore I have said