1292 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
It was this treatment of discrimination against one sex, the Hon. Law Minister went on to say, that led Lord Buddha to preach equality among men and women. By quoting the Hon. Doctor here I simply want to impress that the Bill in question is stated to have been brought forward in accordance with the Buddha’s teachings. Lord Buddha, a great figure as he was, was undoubtedly religious-minded. Let us, therefore, closely study as to what was the real object which he aimed at. Here I am reminded Sir, of a couplet of Sant Jnaneshwar, a renowned Maharashtriyan poet, the actual words of which I do not quite recollect at the moment but it means something like this : A frog accompanied by a bee entered a tank where there were lotus flowers blooming on the water. The bee sat on the lotus and sucked its honey; it carried away with it honey and fine smell. But the frog which had accompanied the bee to the tank could only bring some mud and durt.
S ARDAR H UKAM S INGH in the Chair
Sir, the Buddha preached that the more we are able to subdue our evil desires, the better it is, for it would only help us to serve the society and then humanity as a whole in a better way. This was the highlight of his teachings. But, Sir, it is something extremely astonishing and painful too, that our Law Minister could not find any such suggestion in his teachings. What he could make out was that since men had had right of polygamy, women too must have the right to divorce in order that the effects of the former could be neutralised. I would request you sir, as also the hon. Members here, just to see what type of equality is sought to be given by this Bill.
Dr. Ambedkar : Is this all relevant on clause 4 ? Let us have some regard for relevancy. We could not altogether abandon the rule of relevancy.
Pandit M. B. Bhargava : Relevancy is not the sole monopoly of the Law Minister.
Mr. Chairman : I would request hon. Members to leave this question to me. The Hon. Minister has asked me to decide it.
Pandit M. B. Bhargava : But he himself pronounced the judgement— he did not refer it to you.
Dr. Ambedkar: Relevancy ought to be also your monopoly— not only mine.
Pandit M. B. Bhargava: It is yours ………