DR. AMBEDKAR AND THE HINDU CODE BILL 1027
sphere of work, merely on the ground of her sex. Marriage shall not be a condition precedent to the enjoyment of full and equal civic status and social and economic rights by woman.
May I ask whether at present the status of woman is such, so that we can plan properly in the present society. Family life and organisation and woman’s enjoyment of a share in the property are very necessary. Marriage and succession laws governing these are also necessary and that is why I feel that unless some change is made in our present Hindu Law, I do not think it would be possible to build on the structure that we find at present.
The Women’s Conferences have always asked for a common Code. We are also in favour of a common Code. We are not asking that special privileges should be given to only Hindu women. We all know that at present our women are suffering and are backward. Parsi, Christian and Muslim women are far ahead of Hindu Women in this respect and that is why at present we are supporting this Hindu Code. As I said earlier, if we make this Hindu Code an ideal one, the other communities also will have no objection in accepting our Code.
Dr. Deshmukh said that many women have resigned from the All-India Women’s Conference on this question. On the contrary I would say that in our Conference we have from the very beginning, asking for these changes and it was due to our request that so many pieces of legislation on marriage, right of women to property, etc., were introduced. In Bombay when Dr. Deshmukh of Bombay wanted to bring the bill on giving property rights to widows, we requested him not to hurry with this measure, but to wait so that it may include properties for daughters as well as adoption and other clauses. At that time he told us that he would like to hurry with the measure and that he would bring other reforms also. Therefore, these reforms are due for a long time and it cannot be said that we have not taken public opinion. Even this Hindu Code, as you know, is before the public for the last ten years and it is no use saying that public opinion has not been sounded. I think enough public opinion has been created and it is very wrong to say that very few women are supporting this measure. We have had many public meetings in various places and women from all over India are supporting this measure. On behalf of women I give my whole-hearted support to this Hindu Code.