914 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
in this country, and not to all. It is because we have failed to introduce any innovation that we are in this mess. We have got everything that goes to make an emotional appeal to the people and yet we have strikingly failed in that field. That is something like a play with all the ace actors and yet the play fails to impress the audience. Our performance I shall liken to that.
What is the reaction that we have produced in the country by bringing forward this measure ? Supposing we had brought forward a common measure that would have applied to one and all. Then there would have been an electrical change in the atmosphere in the country ; there would have been an atmosphere of realism with regard to this measure. We would have been able to consider this measure more realistically than we are at present doing. And that we have failed to do. If we had done that we would have convinced the entire country that we are taking cudgels against and demolishing all differences based on caste and religion in the true spirit of our secular democracy. We would have incidentally translated our ideal of secular democracy into action and would have convinced everybody. Now there is not even a ripple on the surface except the placid placard holders outside this House and the imposing police cordon ; and perhaps occasional crowds in the galleries in multi-hued saris. We have not succeeded in producing any greater effect than this. But, I am sure that if the Hon. the Law Minister were to come forward with a common code that will embrace all communities, then the whole country will take interest in it and try to be more realistic about it. I may also venture to say that the reaction outside our country would also be much better, because at present we are held up to ridicule in the outside world by interested parties that we are a nation wedded to caste with the result that our prestige suffers. A common code would have done everything to dispel such a misunderstanding.
Again, there have already been instance where the Hindu law embraced other communities. I am told the Moplahs of Malabar, the Kutch Momins and the Khoja community, the followers of the Aga Khan, were all following the Hindu law and were governed by the Hindu law up till the year 1937 when the Shariat Act was passed. I am told that even the author of Pakistan was governed by the Hindu law. When such is the case why should you fight shy of bringing forward a common code which will embrace all Hindus, Muslims, Christians and so on ?