806 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
the Vedas. Therefore, Jain and Hindu Sanatana Vedic Dharmas were entirely different religions.
The House then adjourned for Lunch till Half Past Two of the Clock.
The House re-assembled after Lunch at Half Past Two of the Clock.
[P ANDIT T HAKUR D AS B HARGAVA in the Chair .]
Shri Sarwate: When the House rose for lunch I was trying to show that in the Bill along with Hindus, persons of other religions are also sought to be included—religions which were contradictory to and opposed to Hindu religion, i.e., Sanatana Vedic Dharma. For instance, Buddhism was against Hinduism ; so also was Jainism. But these two religions have been included in the Hindu Code Bill. So, if the mover of the Bill is entitled to include certain religions other than Hinduism, then I am entitled to move that certain other religions may also be included and in doing so I think I shall not be outside the scope of the Bill.
I was going further to show that the Bill under discussion also seeks to codify and reform Hindu law, if I remember aright, it has been stated in the Statement of Objects and Reasons. Possibly that has been done to obviate or remove any possible difficulty that the Constitution may bring in at this stage or later on. What I mean is this. Article 25 of the Constitution lays down that all citizens of India are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practise and propagate religion. If as man were free to practise his own religion, then he would certainly be at liberty to marry according to the tenets of his religion. But what is sought to be done by this Bill is that he will be forced to marry in a particular way. The principles laid down in this Bill may be entirely opposed to the tenets of his religion. I have a feeling that objection to this may probably be sought to be covered by the subsequent clause of article
25 which reads :
“(2) Nothing in this article shall affect the operation of any existing law or prevent the State from making any law—
(a) regulating or restricting any economic, financial, political or other secular activity which may be associated with religious practice ;
(b) providing for social welfare and reform or the throwing open of Hindu religious institutions of a public character to all classes and sections of Hindus.”