734 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
the decision of the people, even if competent, may be open to question. I would therefore suggest that an argument of this character ought not to influence the judgment of this House and we should confine ourselves to the discussion of the proposition, as I am happy to see in many quarters it has been.
The opposition to the Bill is led and is made up of people for whose opinions, I have personally very warm regard. I am not, therefore, prepared to say that this is an opposition of vested interests, that this is an opposition inspired by ulterior motives or dictated by other considerations. I fully realize, Sir, that the opposition has in many cases very serious grounds for holding the views that they do, and though, I have the misfortune of differing from them, I cannot for that reason say that their views are not entitled to the widest consideration we can give them. On that standpoint, I feel that there is a great deal of force in the arguments of those who question the urgency of the matter and are prepared—if not differ discussion— at least take much more time on the discussion than seems likely to give to this matter, but by saying this, I should not be misunderstood I should not be understood to say, that I would like the matter to be indefinitely postponed. I should like this body whose sovereignty, I would not question, to give a decision on this matter once and for all, and though I am fully alive to the consideration advanced by one of the hon. speakers that there is no guarantee that the next House will accept the decision, even if we give it, I feel that once an indication is given, once a sign-post is erected, once a road is built, it would be difficult to reverse the engine and go back. However, that is a matter of faith rather than of reason, of general belief rather than of intellectual conviction, and I am therefore, open on this matter, altogether, but taking however into consideration the main points that have been urged against the merits of the provisions contained in the Bill, I feel it impossible to accord my support to the opponents of the several sections of the Bill, several chapters in the Bill, or the provisions in the Bill. The main difficulty centres round, so far as I can see on the position of women. I have already said Sir, that I have not the slightest desire to bring in the least bit of levity in this discussion, and therefore, some of the arguments, some of the points made earlier in this debate on this matter leave me somewhat cold. We are building up a country of equal citizens irrespective of religion, sex, class or creed. If that is the principle upon which we take our stand, if that is the preamble of our Constitution and the guiding