1298 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
Now, I wanted to ask at that time whether these articles etc. that appear in our press are progressive. These are far more obscene than that which you thought to be quite vulgar. Then, are they progressive and if they are progressive do they prove beneficial for us ? So, I wanted to point out that our Law Minister who is the Manu of Kaliyug ………
Shri Syamnandan Sahaya : Not the Manu of Kaliyug but Kaliyugi Manu.
Shri Jhunjhunwala : We are living in Kaliyug hence I called him the Manu of Kaliyug. Our Hon. Minister Shri Gadgil who considers himself to be an outcast Brahmin and thinks he is a Pandit has given him this title. All that I mean to say is that he is the Manu of this age. I wanted to know whether the purpose of this progressive measure is to uplift our society or to degrade and demoralize it. I could have understood the whole thing if he had convinced me beofre I had moved my amendments that the measure was progressive in such and such manner. He only said that it was progressive and that women should be given equal rights. He has denied those rights to them that they needed most and which could have benefited them very much. The right which he is giving to them is that of divorce. So, I was trying to point out whether this is really progressive. I say this can never be progressive. If a person does something wrong, it is not wise that I should also repeat the same thing for that reason. On the other hand, such legislation should be made whereby the person doing a wrong thing might be forbidden to do it in future. It should not be that the other person may also be asked to follow him.
That was about this clause. Now, I would move my amendments and fully express my views on them. I have already read them out and so I would not read them again. This will take more time.
Shri Syamnandan Sahaya : How would we understand and vote upon them.
Mr. Chairman : Has he already read them ?
Shri Jhunjhunwala: Yes Sir, I have read them.
Mr. Chairman : Then there is no necessity of reading them again.
Shri Syamnandan Sahaya : We have to vote upon them. You must read them.
Shri Jhunjhunwala : My first amendment is that if anything in the Code is against the Hindu, Sikh, Jain or Buddhist religions or