DR. AMBEDKAR AND THE HINDU CODE BILL 699
it has come into the Bazaar, it has been paraded in procession and here we are seeing it. I should like to say that if all the debate of ours had
taken place before the Bill was sent to the Select Committee, it would have done a lot of good to Dr. Ambedkar and our friends of the Select Committee. They would have come to know what shape should he given
to the various things. Now, we are faced with a sort of conundrum. Our confusion lies in this that if we say that it should again be sent to the Select Committee, it is not known to what a labyrinth of rules and
procedure we might be landing ourselves. If, on the other hand, we say that we should hold it up for the present there is another sword hanging over our heads. Now, what are we to do? We are in a pretty fix and
it is for our leaders and Providence to take us out of it.
I was saying that we were not called for to introduce this measure
at this particular juncture because we have not yet obtained the views of the Hindu society. Whatever Hindu society has been consulted belongs to the towns. And how many people were consulted ? There are 121
individuals and 102 institutions who have filed written statements or given evidence. Now, shall we say this is the opinion of the Hindu society ? In case you want to know the opinion expressed by Mr. Mitter,
and that too in regard to each part separately I am prepared to speak to you about it. Opposition has been offered to it every were barring Madras. Those belonging to the Dayabhaga School opposed it in Bengal.
There is opposition from the Bombay side. Because of this antagonism and other causes it has come to face opposition. If, in spite of this opposition we were to say, ‘No’, what the minority say is along the truth
and you will have to accept it. it is rather hard. The Hindu society should be unified. This should certainly be done on the basis of a system. How can I say the women, our sisters, should be given no share? But let our
sisters themselves be asked to say if, after they have received their share, they would still have any love left for their parental home. How much love would be still left? Just ask one of the reformed women of
to-day where her father lives, where her brother lives. They keep to their own cottage, homestead or mansion and do not so much as greet a relative. Such are the reformed people of to-day. Hence if it comes to
shares what will become of us? However what I wanted to say was that in spite of all these objections we are faced with the minority issue. Even though the view of everyone have not been obtained we are being