856 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
So far as custom and other things are concerned, if my hon. Friend has just studied the amendments which I have already given, he would see that I want good customs in all places should remain as they are, because I am not in favour of violently changing the law of the people of this land in this manner in which this Hindu Code seeks to do ( Hear, hear ). At the same time, I do not want some portions of this Hindu Code to be enacted for the whole of India. Since I got an applause with a view to pin me to something which I do not myself like, I want to make it absolutely clear that I am not against this Hindu Code. I want that certain portions of it should be enacted, but there are certain portions which I do not like, ( Interruption ). So far as certain principles in this Hindu Code are concerned, which are of a universal nature which will improve the society, I want that those provisions should apply to the Punjab and it is for this reason I am supporting this amendment. Hon. Members have not read the amendments which I have already given. The amendment runs thus:—
That for clause 2, the following be substituted, namely :
“ 2. Subject to the provisions of section 1 this Code applies—
(a) to all persons who are Hindus, Buddhists, Jains or Sikhs by religion ;
(b) to any other person who is not a Muslim, Christian, Parsee or a Jew by religion ;
(c) to every woman who married any person was not a Muslim, Christian, Parsee or a Jew by religion ;
(d) to any child, legitimate or illegitimate, one of whose parents was a person who was not a Muslim, Christian, Parsee or Jew by religion ;
(e) to a convert to any religion except the Muslim, Christian, Parsee or Jew by religion.”
I want that this Hindu Code Bill as it is amended by this House and according to my wishes should apply to the Punjab. I do not want that so far as the Punjab is concerned the customs that we have got there should be violently changed by this Hindu Code but consistently with this I want to adopt such of the provisions of the Hindu Code as are acceptable. As for bigamy it should no longer exist in the Punjab. We want to have a monogamous Punjab.
Shri R. K. Chaudhuri : Then I withdraw my applause.
Shri J. R. Kapoor : Do I understand the hon. Member to suggest that different portions of the country and different sections of the