654 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
Then, Sir, take the other details. Practically in the matter of inheritance or in the matter of succession, there is nothing upon which controversy rages except on the daughter’s share. All the other things are more or less now things of the past. Legislation has taken place, numerous judicial decisions have been passed whereby rights have been given to all other members of the family, those that claimed them. The only thing upon which controversy centres now is about the daughter’s share. It may be half the share that the son gets, it may be an equal share with the son, it may be any other share that may be decided upon by everybody sitting round a table. I am perfectly confident that with goodwill and mutual understanding, something satisfactory may be evolved in this line. It is not that every individual member of the Select Committee is bound down by its decisions. We are all free to exercise our own views. I frankly admit that there are certain things which I do not like. There may be other members who say that there are certain aspects of the Bill which do not commend themselves to them. Therefore, all these differences have to a certain extent to be ironed out by mutual discussion, but apart from that, the fundamental question is whether the daughter has to get any share at all. Now when it is said that the daughter cannot get a share at all, then I do think—and I have no hesitation whatsoever in expressing my views freely and frankly,—I do think that it is the the same old prejudice against the female members of the family that dictates this objection.
Shri L. Krishnaswami Bharathi : Quite right. That is the real point.
Dr. P. K. Sen : We may hold our women members in high esteem. No doubt it is often said that the ladies of every family are angels of grace, that they are ministering angels. That is perfectly true, but do we do all that is needed, all that is called for, towards them? Do we do all that is wanted from the men-folk to the women folk in our families ? Let us be perfectly sincere and frank about these things. There is a great deal that has to be done for our women-folk. Women today want their place in society. Continuing to do their duty by the family and continuing to be ministering angels of the family, they have also some other work to do. They have to take an interest in public affairs. They have to take an interest in social organisations. Their presence is indispensably necessary in many organisations which are being set up today. Therefore, we cannot possibly have a framework