DR. AMBEDKAR AND THE HINDU CODE BILL 1293
Mr. Chairman: There should not be any cross-questions and answers. I would again request Hon. Members to have greater restraint on themselves. I would ask the Hon. member who is speaking that he should be more relevant in his speech.
Shri Jhunjhunwala: I was quite relevant in pointing out on to where the equality exists and where it is that we should give equal right to the women.
My friend Shri Thakur Das Bhargava observed …………
Mr. Chairman : I must tell him that that is not the real issue at the moment, that is whether equality should exist or not. He may refer to customs and other things, but equality is not the direct issue at this moment. We should have regard to that.
Shri Jhunjhunwala: May I explain to you sir, as to how these things relate to the real issue. I had in the beginning submitted that the Hon. Minister of Law had advocated two main points in support of this measure. Firstly, he described this Bill as a progressive measure, and secondly, he stated that this Bill sought to put women, who had not got equal rights, on equal footing with men. And now this clause 4 provides that the provisions of the Bill shall override all other things. As I said before, I shall first deal with this clause. In my opinion the measure itself is of no use when it does not go to fulfil either of the two things that are advocated in its support. Hence I am just trying to convince the Law Minister that the measure he has put before the House is absurd altogether and does not conform with the two main points which he has advocated. As a matter of fact, the measure ought not to have come at all. That is the point which I wanted the House to take note of. I may, with your permission Sir, make a few more observations in this connection and they would clear the whole thing, for otherwise the argument itself would become meaningless. I would, therefore, like you to appreciate the fact that this measure is neither progressive nor does it seek to provide women with their due rights as was advocated when the Bill was brought forward. If the clause relating to property had been taken. I could understand it because so far as property is concerned, our women have not got equal rights, they are suffering great hardships on this account and are subjected to innumerable atrocities. I am sorry Shrimati Durgabai is not here at the moment; she was kind enough to narrate some heart-rending tales with regard to women in Madras thereby causing much pain to all of us here. The question will be dealt with at length