New Delhi: The Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Janata Dal (United) on Wednesday said broaching the issue of a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) ahead of elections was a political ploy and that such decisions should not be rushed through.
“We have neither supported nor opposed UCC. We are only saying that such a big decision should not be rushed through,” NCP working president Praful Patel told reporters here after a series of meetings of the party’s various wings.
Patel’s remarks came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a strong pitch for UCC and wondered how a country can function with dual laws that govern personal matters. He also accused the Opposition of using the UCC issue to “mislead and provoke” the Muslim community.
The NCP working president said, “If any law is to be brought for common good, it should not be rushed through. There should be proper discussion.”
“In this case, the Law Commission kept aside the previous recommendations and sought fresh consultations within a short period. This appears to be an attempt to rush things through,” he said.
“Suddenly, after nine-and-a-half years the government is now talking of UCC, this is a political ploy keeping in view the upcoming elections,” Patel said.
The NCP working president said that India was a diverse country where different religious communities follow their personal laws and social conventions and stressed on the need to hold extensive consultations on the issue.
Patel said even the NCP has not formed an opinion on the UCC as it would like to consult various groups and study its implications.
BJP unbothered about minority welfare: JD(U)
The Janata Dal (United) criticised PM Narendra Modi’s push for a Uniform Civil Code and claimed that his statement had nothing to do with the welfare of minorities.
Its spokesperson K C Tyagi noted that Article 44 of the Constitution states that the state shall endeavour to provide for all its citizens UCC but added this clause is a part of the Directive Principles of state policy and not a fundamental right.
Any attempt, therefore, to impose a UCC without substantive consultations, concurrence of various religious groups, especially the minorities, could lead to social friction and an erosion of faith in the constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion, he said.
The enforcement of a UCC would require all current laws applicable in such matters in respect of Hindus (including Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains), Muslims, Christians and Parsis to be scrapped and such a drastic step can hardly be taken without substantive consultations with all stakeholders, including state governments, he said.
