DR. AMBEDKAR AND THE HINDU CODE BILL 991
Americans and Negroes and even they go to the length of indicating the fraction of African blood which will negative any marriage between an American and Negro. In some States marriage between an American and Chinese is prohibited, or a marriage between an American and a Mongolian. In practically all the States there are different marriage laws. Somebody interrupted me just now—what about uniformity ? I suppose people of the United States of America are getting on quite merrily and quite well without having complete uniformity of all marriage laws. So uniformity is not the last word on the subject. Uniformity suggests stagnation, deadness...
Shrimati Renuka Ray : rose—
Dr. S. P. Mookerjee : ………and I suppose even Mrs. Renuka Ray has not reached that stage.
Shrimati Renuka Ray : Should we follow America ?
Dr. S. P. Mookerjee : I am not saying that you should follow America. I would suggest that we should follow the lead given by our own country and that is the lead which Mrs. Ray should follow and which she has not followed as yet.
That is so with regard to America. Now take again the Roman Catholics. According to their strict law, according to their religion, divorce is not allowed. But in almost all countries they have passed civil laws which allow Roman Catholics to adopt divorce if necessary. But they have not touched their religion. They have allowed that to remain separate, but those among the Roman Catholics who desire to be governed in accordance with the civil laws, it is open to them to do so. Well, Dr. Ambedkar is nodding his head. It is difficult to know whether it is in approval or dissent. In any event, he can explain later on—I am open to correction. It is very difficult to get these Jaws. But whatever books are available in the Parliament Library I was trying to go through them and I find that a clear distinction is made between the two systems.
Now we are confining ourselves for the present to marriage and divorce. What is it that is worrying the so-called progressives in this country, including progressive ladies?
Shri Kamath : In the House or outside ?
Dr. S. P. Mookerjee : They are anxious that there should be a provision for divorce and there should be provision for monogamy. These are the two things on which great stress has been laid. Now let