898 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
Shri R. K. Chaudhuri : There can be re-conversion, but what about conversion ? The difference is only with respect to that.
Shri Venkataraman (Madras) : The Madras High Court in the case of Ratansi Morarji- vs -the Administrator General, has decided that any person can be converted to Hinduism.
Dr. Ambedkar : It related to an English woman and the question was whether a Christian could be converted into a Hindu and the answer was, yes.
Shri R. K. Chaudhuri : Will the Hon. Minister tell me the procedure or the ceremony for such a conversion ? It is never too late to learn, after all.
Mr. Deputy Speaker : The hon. Member himself is very particular that Hindu traditions etc. should be preserved. Where is the harm in getting as many Hindus as possible and as many people as possible under the Hindu Law ?
Shri R. K. Chaudhuri : I only want that the author of this Bill, Dr. Ambedkar and the founder of our Constitution should not indulge in words which have no meaning. The word “convert” has no meaning when applied to a Hindu.
Dr. Ambedkar : That is an old anti-quated view of Mr. Chaudhuri.
Shri R. K. Chaudhuri : Can Dr. Ambedkar please refer me to one single original text of Hindu law where it is said that conversion to Hinduism is possible ?
Dr. Ambedkar : I can refer the hon. Member to the case of Morarji_vs_ the Administrator General.
The Minister of State for Transport and Railways (Shri Santhanam) : And there is a monument in Bhilsa which speaks of a Greek having been converted into a Hindu.
Dr. Tek Chand (Punjab) : And many born Christians and Moslems have become Hindus. If my hon. friend wants he can bring any such persons now and they will be converted by Aryas to Hinduism and absorbed in Hindu Society. I have several books giving cases of conversions even during Moslem rule and he can have them and read them at his leisure.
Dr. Ambedkar : Oh do not do that, Mr. Chaudhuri never reads.
Shri R. K. Chaudhuri : I am afraid the hon. Members confusing between conversion and re-conversion and also between conversion and initiation. Anyone can be initiated into Hinduism. I am not speaking about that.