1158 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
a very tragic case, a tragic case of a sober, good well-behaved man, who having joined the company of the drunkards rolls from side to side and has become an inebriate himself.
An Hon. Member : A good comparison.
Dr. Ambedkar : Secondly, I have been noticing the performances of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee ever since he has left the Government and has become a member of the Opposition, in fact almost a leading member of the Opposition and I have noticed that he has developed the unfortunate mentality which sometimes Leaders of Opposition develop, namely to oppose everything that comes from Government. In view of that, when a person is not prepared to discuss matters on merits but wants to oppose for the sake of opposition, it is, I think, hardly worth one’s while to waste one’s time and breath in order to meet his argument. As I said, that is the reason why I do not propose to take what Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee has said in a very serious manner.
I, therefore, propose to deal only with the general points that have been raised by various speakers against clause 2 and generally against the Bill. The first point which perhaps is a new point is this, that there is really no necessity for the sort of Bill that we had brought forward. It is contended that the Hindu Society is a very ancient society, much more ancient than the Roman or the Greek Society and perhaps as old as the Egyptian Society. It has been contended that today all that we know about the Roman Society or the Greek Society or the Egyptian Society is their history ; they no longer exist; they have disappeared. The only ancient society which has survived is the Hindu Society and if the Hindu Society has survived while all other ancient societies have disappeared, then its laws, its social structure, its principles must be good. Otherwise, it could not have survived.
This is not the first time that I have heard this argument. I have heard this argument a long time ago and not only heard it from men in the streets, but men who have been occupying most eminent positions such as those who are called the historians of India. This is an argument which had been presented all the time by those who believe in the sanctity of the ancient structure of this society. I must very frankly say that I too have been a student of India’s history, although I cannot claim that I am as good a student as many others who adorn the chairs of history in many of our universities. I believe, I have a sufficient understanding of the Indian history and the point that I would like