DR. AMBEDKAR AND THE HINDU CODE BILL 1075
aggressive or communal Sikhs but it will be a surprise to the House to know that at present its president is no less than Sardar Nagoke, a staunch Congressman. The body is entirely dominated by Congressites. This body which is not aggressively communal and which has been set up by statutory law has expressed its emphatic opinion against the Bill. Nothing can be more representative than the opinion of the S.G.P.C., let alone the numerous conferences and gatherings of Sikhs which have expressed their opinion against it.
The Minister of Law (Dr. Ambedkar): Where ?
Sardar B. S . Man: Outside the House, I ask the Government to take one position. Either pass this Bill because you are sure that the majority of the Members here, who are representatives of their communities, want it or you think that the representatives of a particular community are so outmoded that they do not represent the real opinion outside the House, which wants the Bill. Stand on any of these two positions either inside or outside the House. We are six members here representing the Sikh community. ( An hon. Member : You said seven yesterday.) The senvth is from U.P. Even if you are prepared to base your position upon his opinion I am prepared to risk it, though I have not consulted him because I know very well the opinion of the agriculturists and he is one of them. We six Members here represent P.E.P.S.U. and the Punjab. You cannot say that we all belong to the same party. Here are Ministerialists, there is an independent like Sardar Sochet Singh, people who are diametrically opposed to Congress party like Sardar Hukam Singh, who is an Akali leader and there is the Congressman Sardar Gurmukh Singh Musafir. I ask the Government on whose opinion you have derived the impression that the Sikhs want the Bill. I challenge that we are unanimously opposed to it. Do not force it on us just as you have not forced it down the throats of Christains. The Christians numerically are almost the same number as we in the Punjab. You have made an exception of the Christains but you are not prepared to make an exception of the Sikhs, As representatives in this House we do not want it. If you say that people outside want it, I ask the Law Minister and the Minister of State Mr. Tyagi, who is now a Government supporter, to produce a single opinion to show that we want it. ( Interruptions )
The Minister of State for Finance (Shri Tyagi): Indicated dissent.
Sardar B. S. Man : I am sorry I reffered to Mr. Tyagi, as I thought that the interruption came from him, since I was opposing the Government and he was supporting it now.