Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Sunday said that fear against the proposed Uniform Civil Code is being instilled by Kerala Chief Minister Pinaravi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government and the Congress among the minority communities in the country.
The Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology was in Thiruvananthapuram when he spoke to the reporters and said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "simple and straightforward stand" on Uniform Civil Code at a public meeting recently addressed uniform civil laws for people across religions and communities in India.
Chandrasekhar reportedly said, "The Left and the Congress are trying to indulge in fear-mongering among the minorities in Kerala. This is the only trick up their political sleeves, to keep spewing lies. Our government believes in 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas'."
He also added that for several years and decades, "despite the Supreme Court and the Constitution saying that there was a need for it (UCC) and our luminaries, Dr BR Ambedkar-ji also talking about it in their lifetime, one struggles to understand what the Congress and the Left are trying to do."
Chandrasekhar pointed out that PM Modi is following the Constitution and its equality for all fundamental rights as he advocates for a uniform civil law instead of the current two laws run in the country.
The Constitution in Article 44 mentions securing the Uniform Civil Code throughout the country. The UCC is proposed to be a set of laws for purposes of marriage, adoption and inheritance for every citizen irrespective of their religion.
Several opposition parties have expressed their dissent against the proposed set of laws.
Law Commission on UCC
On June 14, the Law Commission sought responses from organisations and the public on the UCC. The one-month deadline for filing responses ended on Friday, following which it was extended to July 28.
"In view of the overwhelming response from the public on the subject of the Uniform Civil Code and numerous requests received from various quarters regarding the extension of time for submitting their comments, the Law Commission has decided to grant an extension of two weeks for the submission of views and suggestions by the concerned stakeholders," the Law Commission said in a public notice.
Any interested individual, institution or organisation may furnish comments on the UCC till July 28 on the commission's website, it said.
