1004 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
still the marriage will not be illegal and the children will not be illegitimate. Secondly, this Bill restricts or narrows down the field of prohibition. There were many prohibitions. One could not go beyond certain castes. One could not have marriage within the same gotra or pravara and with certain relations which fell within certain degrees from the father and mother. This bill narrows these prohibitions. And then it introduces the principle of monogamy, and lastly it introduces the principle of divorce.
First of all, there is this widening of the Field of marriage. Are the provisions of this measure really in conflict with the principles of Hindu Law and Hindu religion ? In my opinion they are not. Dr. Mookerjee said that this measure offends the orthodox people, that it offends their religious sentiments, their religious susceptibilities. I am not ashamed to admit that I consider myself as much an orthodox Hindu as anyone else. Have I not very often met Dr. Mookerjee on the banks of the Ganges when we went there for our bath. We have also often met in the temple of Lord Shiva at Banaras. Our orthodoxy is of the same character and of the same extent. Still I do not find anything in this Bill that wounds my religious feelings or susceptibilities. What was the pristine or original condition of Hindu society ? That we see in the texts of the Mahabharata and other scriptures. There were no caste distinctions then as they exist now. Then there were divisions according to the work.
Shri Syamnandan Sahaya : Every man is a Shudra by birth. It is by the sacraments that he becomes a Brahmin.
Shri B. K. P. Sinha : But due to certain adverse factors things changed. Well, I do not want to quote and prolong the discussion, otherwise I will be playing your game. Well, as I was saying, there were no distinctions as they exist now. Every Arya was free to marry any other Arya. You know that Anuloma and Pratiloma marriages were permitted by Hindu law. And in adopting the provisions of this measure. I am sure that we are reverting to the old order of things. But that old order was disturbed by certain unfortunate developments in the country.
Pandit Malaviya : Will the hon. Member please elaborate that point a bit ?
Shri B. K. P. Sinha : I have elaborated it sufficiently. We will have to talk for seven days if we are to give enough elaborations.