910 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
of them living in rural areas, not knowing anything about procedural laws and rules, is it possible to imagine each of them going to court for marriage and divorce ? I had thought it was only registration where the lawyers would get very little fee. But if it is the law courts then I have no doubt, and the house and the Hon. Law Minister will agree with me, that it is a heaven for the lawyers. In this vast country at least for some time to come—I should say for a long time to come, but certainly for some time to come—there is no justification for such an obligatory legislation to be passed. Give them the chance—if they think it is necessary then let them adopt it.
We have said a lot and the Code also claims for itself a very great and progressive position when you say we are giving this and we are giving that to the women of our country. I suppose that up to a certain point there is something to be said about it. But if we study the social conditions today among the Hindus, shall we not agree that these ladies in their households are almost each of them an Alexander unto herself ? You want to reduce that position of being the monarch of all they survey to that of a mere partner and you know what respect partners evoke, particularly when you are doing away with the joint family system. In a joint family system, the partners had a certain respect and position. There was inter-dependence and therefore one partner cared for the other partner. But having done away with the joint family system, you want to reduce the women to the position of a partner. If you are a partner, you have your set rights and your set quota. Today, the women are the masters of the whole household.
Dr. Ambedkar : Yes, very much.
Shri Syamnandan Sahaya : Tomorrow, you will make them partners.
An Hon. Member : Partners in what ?
Shri Syamnandan Sahaya : Partners in property.
An Hon. Member : Not in life ?
Shri Syamnandan Sahaya : I meant partners in property. After all, she gets something from her father’s house. She is the owner of that. She feels she has got something by herself. Why should you not make her depend upon the newly acquired house of her husband ? You know, after all, properties create difficulties. I know of families, not one but many, where the power of attorney by the wife is not held by the husband but by some other person.