Vol. 15 · pages 1101–1105

1082 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES Madras Government did not, however, agree to the conditions. The question of locating the institute in Orissa is now under consideration. (f) No. It is too early to assess the value of sub phone treatment. (g) Does not arise. Dr. Deshmukh: May I know what are the reasons why Orissa is being chosen and why Madhya Pradesh has not been chosen ? Is it not a fact, Sir, that the largest number of leprosy homes are situated in Madhya Pradesh ? Dr. Ambedkar: I do not suppose that the Madhya Pradesh Government ever expressed any desire to the Central Government that that State might also be considered for the purpose of the location of the Institute. Dr. Deshmukh: Is there any proposal before the Central Government to give any financial assistance to the asylumes for lepers ? Dr. Ambedkar: I suppose wherever possible they would give assistance. Mr. Deputy Speaker: I can say generally when one Hon. Minister answers for another Minister, with respect to supplementary questions that the hon. Member has to ask, he need not go far out of the exact question. He might try to limit and reserve these questions. I do not mean to say that they are irrelevent; they do arise but the Hon. Minister cannot be expected to answer them. Dr. Deshmukh: When another Minister answering questions for some one else happens to be a habitual affair, what are we to do, Sir? Mr. Deputy Speaker: Next Question. Shri Jangde : One question, Sir. With the Hon. Minister kindly state what expenditure was incurred on the tour of Dr. Dharmendra who was deputed to U.S.A., U.K., South America and Philippines to study the work being carried on there in connection with leprosy ? Dr. Ambedkar: From the information that is at my disposal here, I find that to meet the cost of the attendance of

1083PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES Dr. Dharmendra at the International Leprosy Conference in Cuba and his study tour abroad, the Government of India sanctioned a sum of Rs. 17,350 to the British Empire Leprosy Relief Association. Dr. Dharmendra’s pay for the period of his deputation was however met by the Indian Council of Medical Research. Dr. Deshmukh : Has the cost of the treatment of a patient been calculated so far as this new treatment is concerned ? Is it very costly ? Dr. Ambedkar: I am unable to answer this question now. I should like to have notice. (66) *HARTAL OF REFUGEE STALL HOLDERS 1185. Shri Jnani Ram : Will the Minister of Health be pleased to state : (a) whether the refugee stall holders of Irwin Road and Panchkuina Road, New Delhi are observing hartal since the 27th August, 1951; (b) if so the reasons for the same; and (c) whether any enquiry has been ordered in the matter ? The Minister of Law (Dr. Ambedkar): ( a) The stallholders observed hartal for 3 days from the 27th to 29th August, 1951. (b) Although there had been disputes between the New Delhi Municipal Committee and the stallholders for some time, it is understood that the immediate cause of the hartal was the launching of prosecutions by the Committee against a number of stallholders for contravening municipal byelaws. (c) The question of an enquiry does not arise. Shri Jnani Ram: May I know whether the grievances of the stallholders have now been removed ? D., Vol. 9, Part I, 20th September 1951, p. 1538

1084 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES Dr. Ambedkar: There are hardly any greivances. From the papers that were handed over to me, it seems to me that the dispute is purely of a legal character. The municipality holds that they are licencees while the stallholders claim that they are lessees. The municipality says that since they are licencees, the municipality is entitled to remove them without any notice, while the stall-holders say that they are lessees and they must be governed by the terms of their leases. It is purely a legal dispute which can only be adjudicated by some court or judicial authority. Shri Sidhva: Do these stall-holders pay rent under certain agreements to the effect that they will be known as licencees ? Dr. Ambedkar: So far as I could understand and I speak subject to correction—they have been allowed to just sit and squat and do their business for the time being. But they say that they have been squatting so long that their licences have now matured into leases. Several Hon. Members: No, they are not squatters. Mr. Deputy Speaker : Hon. Members cannot be educated in law. They probably want to know the difference between a licence and a lease. Shri Sidhva: My question was whether they pay rents ? Mr. Deputy Speaker: I am not going to allow opinions on legal questions. Shri Sarangdhar Das: Besides the legal aspect of this matter, have there been any complaints about the nonavailability of water and lack of sanitary arrangements in the places where the stalls have been built ? Mr. Deputy speaker: It does not arise out of this question. Was it for want of these amenities that the strike was started ? Shri Sarangdhar Das: This was also a part of their grievances. Dr. Ambedkar: So far as I know only because of the prosecutions launched by the Municipal Committee did the strike take place.

1085PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (67) *PETITION OF MAHILA SAMITI, JAIPUR, REGARDING WOMEN VOTERS OF RAJASTHAN 1266. Shrimati Durgabai (on behalf of Shrimati Renuka Ray): ( a) Will the Minister of Law be pleased to refer to the answers given to supplementary questions raised on Starred Question No. 534 asked on the 27th August, 1951 and state whether the omission of the names of women voters was due to the fact that their proper names were not initially put down by the officials who prepared the lists ; (b) Is it a fact that these officials did not get instructions to take proper names of the women concerned which resulted in the omission of their names from the electoral rolls ? The Minister of Law (Dr. Ambedkar): (a) No, Sir. The officials who prepared the lists initially were unable to get the real names of women voters in some States. I understand that this was due to the disinclination of the women, as well as their relatives, to disclose their names. (b) The Election Commission had issued specific instructions to State Governments that women voters must be registered by their proper names and not as “wife of ” or “daughter of ” and so. The State Governments were also instructed to make every effort through governmental agencies to ascertain the real names of women voters who were not registered on the rolls by their actual names. The public were so invited to assist in this task. It was not due to lack of proper instructions that the names could not be entered in the rolls in the prescribed manner. Shrimati Durgabai: Sir, will you be so good as to allow one or two supplementary questions ? Mr. Deputy Speaker: No, this is not the Question-hour. Shri Sondhi: And the hon. Member knows the rules herself. *P. D., Vol. 10, Part I, 25th September 1951, p. 1666.

1086 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES (68) *HINDU DIVORCE 1412. Shrimati Jayashri : Will the Minister of Law be pleased to state : (a) the names of States where legislation permitting Divorce of Hindu marriages is in force; (b) the number of applications for Divorce received by courts in these States during the year 1950; (c) the number of applicants granted divorce in 1950; (d) the number of applications rejected during the year 1950 ; and (e) the total number of male and female applicants during the year 1950 ? The Minister of Law (Dr. Ambedkar) : (a) As far as I am aware, legislation permitting divorce among Hindus is in force in Bombay and Madras only. (b) to (e) The exact figures for the year 1950 are not available. I understand from Bombay that the figures in regard to that State for the period from 12th May, 1947, when the Act came into force to the end of June, 1950 are as follows : Total number of applications ... 5,356 Number of male applicants ... 2,452 Number of Female applicants ... 2,904 Number of applicants granted divorce ... 2,756 Number of applications rejected ... 1,164 I have not received any information from Madras so far. *P. D., Vol. 10, Part I, 28th September 1951, p. 1813.