DR. AMBEDKAR AND THE HINDU CODE BILL 939
circumstances. They are tabooed as archaic persons. If they have changed, they are equally condemned for having changed. Why are there so many smritis ? Each is addressed to particular branch of law. My point is this. The reverence that is due in a change of law of this magnitude is not there. We are looking at the question from a different point of view. I submit that by means of this legislation Hindu society is cut vertically, horizontally, diagonally, into bits and bits. You say, let a man say, “I do not belong to Hinduism”. Even the wording “professing the Hindu religion” is obnoxious. Why do you call yourself a Hindu ? What is there in Hinduism ? There are certain things ; there is the doctrine of Karma which even the Buddha and the Jaina believed. The Vedas are not peculiar to me. I believe in the hoary antiquity of the Vedas as an inspired document. Do not the Muslims believe that there is a Veda. Even the Sikhs who belong to a reformist religion, worship a Book. Why should I be ashamed of my Vedas and of calling myself a Hindu ? Whether I am a Brahmo samajin, or arya Samajam or a Vaishnav, if I do not believe in the Vedas, I am not a Hindu.
Unfortunately, in this country, religion has entered into politics also. It is said that on account of these vicissitudes of castes and creeds, so many Muslims became converts. I ask, was there not one religion in China, Buddhism; was there not one religion in Indonesia, Buddhism ? Where is Buddhism in Indonesia today : Where is Buddhism in Malaya? Were not a number of people converted to Islam in China ? Again and again, wherever there is any difficulty you attack Hinduism and say that it is this ancient system that is responsible for all this. I say, the remedy is elsewhere. Apart from its disadvantages, it is the Hindu system of marriage and not allowing a divorce, of property not being dissipated by division amongst daughters also, who have no responsibility to maintain the family, etc., that has been the source of strength to the people. I would ask a simple question. If the daughter gets married, do you ask me to live with my son or my son-in-law ? It is said : “ Jamatha dasamo grahah”, the son-in-law is the tenth planet. I must be supported by somebody in my old age. Why not live with the son instead of the son-in-law ? What happens if you give a share to the daughter ? Of course, she will say, “Come and live with me”. But, my fate will be that of King Lear. I am appealing to all mothers and sisters to anxiously and seriously consider the situation. Let them not be under the impression that I have not consulted my partner at home. We have deliberated for a long time.