DR. AMBEDKAR AND THE HINDU CODE BILL 791
HINDU CODE— contd.
Clause by Clause Discussion
*Mr. Speaker: The House will now proceed with the further consideration of the Bill to amend and codify certain branches of the Hindu Law, as reported by the Select Committee.
Shri R. K. Chaudhari (Assam): Sir, before the Hon. Law Minister proceeds with his Bill, may I make a most humble suggestion and it is this : either we finish the more important and shorter Bills in the agenda, and then take up the Hindu Code Bill and finish it, or let it be understood that the Hindu Code Bill will be considered from now and until the Hindu Code Bill is finished no other Bill will be taken up. Either of the two courses must be adopted. It seems that some people who are very much in favour of the Hindu Code Bill think that they are merely playing with time by taking up this Bill, considering it for a short period up to one stage, and then putting it off further for a longer spell of time. That is rather unfair to everybody concerned. Therefore, my first respectful request is this. Let us finish these shorter and more important Bills, as for instance, the Preventive Detention Bill. Under that Act, a number of persons who were arrested, were released under the orders of the High Courts. They have again been re-arrested and the whole thing has been held up in expectation of a more comprehensive Bill which was promised by Government. I submit, Sir, that, in the interests of law and order and also in view of the fact that justice should be allowed to run undeterred, we must finish the most important legislation, namely, the Preventive Detention Bill first, then the Employers’ Liability Bill, and then sit down on the Hindu Code and finish it altogether. I hope my suggestion would be acceptable to the Hon. Law Minister.
Mr. Speaker : Is this suggestion acceptable to the Hon. Minister ?
The Minister of Law (Dr. Ambedkar): No. Sir.
Mr. Speaker : So, we will proceed with the further consideration of the Hindu Code Bill.
Shri Naziruddin Ahmad (West Bengal): Sir, I have a point of order. The Hindu Code Bill is before the House for a very long time.
- Parliamentary Debates (Hereinafter called as P.D.), V ol . VIII, Part II, 5th February
1951, pp. 2356-77.