The call for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in India, made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has sparked a heated debate across the nation. The Law Commission has set a deadline of July 13 for receiving views from all stakeholders. Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal has urged everyone to wait until the deadline before drawing conclusions.
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a strong push for the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), the Law Commission has set a deadline of July 13 for views from all stakeholders, including people and recognised religious organisations, on the politically sensitive issue.
Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said, "Law Commission of India has put it in the public domain, 13th July is the last date, should wait till then."
Earlier, Law Commission Chairman Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi said the panel had received 8.5 lakh responses since June 14, when they initiated a public consultation process on the matter.
PM Modi's fervent pitch for the UCC, which essentially refers to a common set of laws that are applicable to all the citizens of India and deals with marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption among other personal matters, has triggered a political slugfest in the country.
With some opposition parties leaders like the Congress alleging that the move was only a political ploy, others such as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) extended its support and said the code should be brought in with a consensus after extensive consultations with stakeholders. This indicated that the opposition parties might not be on the same page on the issue, amid their ongoing efforts to forge opposition unity for Lok Sabha elections next year.
So far, two parties who had attended the opposition parties meeting in Patna -- Aam Aadmi Party and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) -- have expressed their support for the UCC.
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut said that his party has historically supported the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code.
“We support the idea of Uniform Civil Code,” Raut told The Hindu on Wednesday. “Though, Prime Minister Modi’s latest campaign is a political stunt aimed at the next general elections and not a sincere exercise to bring the UCC [Uniform Civil Code]. In view of his remarks, we will have to sit and deliberate on the issue.”
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Thursday said the Centre should not push through with the Uniform Civil Code and rethink consequences of implementing it.
"They should rethink about it. This is a diverse nation, people of different races and religions live here and Muslims have their own shariah law," Abdullah told reporters at Hazratbal after offering Eid-ul Azha prayers.
The consultation paper of the 21st Law Commission headed by Justice B S Chauhan (retd) had said that while the diversity of Indian culture can and should be celebrated, specific groups or weaker sections of the society must not be "dis-privileged" in the process.
The consultation paper said most countries are now moving towards recognition of difference, and the mere existence of difference does not imply discrimination but is indicative of a robust democracy.
Implementing the code has been on the BJP's poll agenda for years. Uttarakhand is already in the process of framing its common code. The BJP had promised a UCC in Karnataka if it came to power. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh defended Modi’s call for implementation of the code accusing the Opposition parties of trying to bring in a communal angle, reported PTI.