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While the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had already declared its support “in principle” for the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh was constantly asking questions and asking for the fine print.
UCC stands for a single law that can be applied to all religious communities in matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption, and maintenance, among others. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi said last week that India needs a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) as the country cannot operate with a dual system of “separate laws for separate communities”, the Uttarakhand government said its draft includes age-related provisions for girls. Marriage and terms of live relations, among other things, were ready and soon to be implemented.
On the prospect of Uttarakhand UCC becoming a model for the entire country, the AAP leader adopted a cautious and skeptical tone. The whole country is confused. We said that we want to support the UCC in principle, as stated in Section 44 of the Constitution. Secondly, earlier the BJP pushed the Federation of Contractors in Goa demanding that the same be applied across the country. The UCC law in Goa states that if a Hindu wife is unable to bear children, then the husband is allowed to remarry. If the BJP passes this as law in Parliament, their wives will nominate them by beating them with ‘scourge’. Singh asked what kind of law you plan to implement.
Singh added, “We don’t know what is written in Uttarakhand UCC. If it is drafted on the model of Goa UCC, it will give rise to a strange problem.”
India and countries
Noting that extensive consultations were required before the UCC could be implemented across the country, Singh emphasized the differences in personal and state laws.
“We have Article 371 under which Nagaland, Mizoram, Assam, Arunachal, Meghalaya and several states in the North East are entitled to follow their own religious and local customs. When it comes to land, they have unique rights. Sikhism has the Anand Marriage Act, 2012. Jains won minority status after a long struggle. We have Buddhists and Parsis. How will you cover all of them?”
Talking about how the UCC affects Hindus, Singh said, “Under the Hindu Undivided Family Act, Hindu families get tax exemption, which Muslims, Sikhs and Christians do not get. Will crores of Hindu families be deprived of this special tax exemption?” ?
The Rajya Sabha MP reaffirmed the need for the draft to be put into the public domain as it can clarify every religion and community.
ON NE
On MP Sushil Kumar Modi’s remarks that North Eastern and Tribal Areas would be excluded from the UCC, Singh said, “I respect Sushil Kumar Modi, but he is not Narendra Modi. He is the chairman of the standing committee. He can make recommendations. There are many standing committees in Parliament. I Also a member of one. We submit thousands of proposals to the government, and the government may agree to one or two proposals.
He also noted that the BJP’s allies in the north-eastern states are against the union of contractors. Yesterday, he opposed the National Democratic Party, which is supported by the government in Nagaland. Did their five ministers resign? In Meghalaya, the Sangma opposed the World Union of Churches Council, have the BJP ministers resigned? The Mizoram government opposed the WCC. There is no preparation.”
On the issue of the opposition being divided over various issues, the BJP MP said that the BJP was disturbed after the June 23 meeting of the opposition leaders. “After one meeting in Patna, the prime minister launched a two-hour attack in Bhopal,” Singh said.
Interestingly, Singh refrained from mentioning the Muslim community while talking about UCC.
gender equality
While excavating the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Singh argued that it was the RSS that burned statues of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and demanded the latter’s resignation when Dr. Ambedkar framed the Hindu Law Code in 1955, which gave rights to women and prohibited polygamy among Hindus. “When Ambedkar was fighting against these customs, the RSS, the predecessor of the BJP, created a storm across the country and forced Babachaheb to resign,” Singh said.
Singh also hit back at the BJP on the latter’s claims that UCC will pave the way for gender justice. “The bill of 33% reservation for women is outstanding in Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas. You (BJP) are not working for female wrestlers who are protesting in Jantar Mantar…”, Singh said.
On Bian Man
Responding to a question about the Uniform Civil Code, Chief Minister of Punjab and AAP leader Bhagwant Man listed the customs followed by different communities in the country and compared India to a bunch. He asked “Should there be only one color in the bouquet. I don’t know why they mess with these customs? Do not divide communities into tribes. … Kaum ko kabilon mei mat baantiye, lambe safar ko milon mein mat bantiye. My river is flowing. Do not divide it.” between streams and lakes.”
Later in the day, when asked about Mann’s statement on UCC, Singh replied, “This is not about UCC.” It is about distraction from rising tomato prices, violence in Manipur, failure to provide 18 crore jobs, pucca houses, black money fight and more. They talk about the UCC to divert attention from the real issues. I’ve been saying that since day one. I just heard Mann’s comments. In the Anand Marriage Act, Sikhs have their own traditions and have been given special rights. So it is with Jains, Buddhists and Adivasi.”
Going further, Singh claimed that the introduction of UCC is the beginning of the end of reservations in the country. Though the capital of the country is Delhi, the capital of the BJP is Nagpur and their chief in Nagpur has already stated that in this country, the reservations for Dalits, backward castes and Adivasi should come to an end. So this is not the UCC, this is the beginning of the final reservations. Tomorrow, in the name of “One Nation, One Law,” you will say “Reservations end, all are equal.”
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