Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the Union Council of Ministers on Monday at the newly built convention centre at the Pragati Maidan, which will host the G20 summit in September. This meeting comes amid a heightened buzz about a likely Cabinet reshuffle following a series of meetings of the ruling BJP’s top brass. What has added to the reshuffle buzz is the fact that the period before Parliament’s Monsoon Session, which begins from July 20, could be the last window for such an exercise.
It is learnt that the proposed Uniform Civil Code bill was also discussed at the cabinet meeting where the Prime Minister batted for one nation one law. On the other hand, the Parliamentary panel which met here on Monday to discuss the draft bill too was not averse to it. Even parties like Shiv Sena of Uddhav Thackeray agreed that there should be one uniform law. He said why should anyone oppose UCC.
According to sources, majority of the parties were in support of UCC but the opposition parties expressed certain concerns including the timing of the proposed bill. They wanted the government to circulate the draft recommendations of the Law Commission.
Most of them including Shiv Sena of Uddhav Thackeray also felt that while UCC was necessary the timing of its introduction was perhaps not correct. It should not be used for electoral gains, they felt.
Meanwhile, the Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan supported the UCC said that those opposing the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in India display a lack of confidence in the country’s Constitution.
He said, “My view is the view of the Constitution of India. In principle, one can differ on the details of the provisions, but as far as the principle of having a uniform civil code through one code throughout the territory of India is concerned, how can anybody oppose it? If you are opposing it, you are showing no confidence in the Constitution of India.
“Until 1990, the left parties in this country were advocating the enactment of a uniform civil code. When I resigned on the issue, the most vocal voice in my support was EMS Namboodiripad.
The other vocal voice was that of BJP leaders. So, a party that not only stood against the reversal of the judgment by the honourable Supreme Court in the Shah Bano case but also ferociously advocated the implementation of Article 44, which means a uniform civil code, has suddenly changed their position and is now criticising the move in various terms.
So, who is taking a political position? If the ideological position they had taken at the time of Shah Bano, even till 1990, was for a uniform civil code, and today they are singing a different song, then who is playing politics?” he asked.
