Confusion in NDA as Meghalaya CM calls UCC ‘against idea of India’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strong pitch for a uniform civil code (UCC) has created confusion not only among the opposition parties but also among the allies of the Bharatiya Janata Party, with Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangama calling it against the idea of India.

The National People’s Party supremo asserted at a press conference on Friday that diversity is the strength of India and his party feels the UCC in its current form will go against this idea.

UCC refers to a common set of laws governing personal matters like marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption, among others, of all citizens.

Sangma said the Northeast has got a unique culture and society and will want to remain that way. The NPP chief, however, said it will be difficult to go into the details without seeing the actual content of the UCC draft. Noting that Meghalaya has a matrilineal society and there are different cultures in the Northeast, he asserted, “These cannot be changed.”

“NPP feels that UCC will go against the idea of India being a diverse nation, with diversity being our strength and identity,” he said.

Senior BJP leader and head of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, Sushil Modi on Friday said the panel will seek the views of all stakeholders on the issue of the UCC in its meeting on July 3. Modi insisted that the meeting of the committee is non-political as the panel has members from all political parties.

The prime minister’s fresh pitch for UCC at a rally in Bhopal evoked criticism from the opposition, which has claimed it was “polarisation” tactics.

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar said his party will decide its stand on the UCC after the government clarifies certain things. The stand of communities like the Sikhs, Jains and Christians should be ascertained, the NCP chief said, adding that he had learnt that the Sikh community had a different view. “They are not in the mood to support the UCC…..so taking a decision on UCC without the cognizance of the Sikh community (its views) would not be appropriate,” Pawar said.

While the AAP extended its “in-principle” support to a UCC, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) asked Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann to clarify his stand accusing the ruling Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab of trying to “mislead” Punjabis on the most sensitive issue of a UCC.

Describing it as “sheer hypocrisy and political expediency sans any morality”, Cheema said, “It is clear that the AAP high command has taken a decision to support the implementation of a UCC in the country without taking its Punjab unit, chief minister or even the Sikh community into confidence.”

The Maharashtra Congress has meanwhile set up a committee under former Mumbai University vice chancellor Balchandra Mungekar to study the impact of the proposed UCC. The nine-member committee set up by state unit chief Nana Patole will also include journalist and Rajya Sabha member Kumar Ketkar, senior leaders Vasant Purke, Hussain Dalwai, Anees Ahmed, Kishori Gajbhiye, Amarjit Manhas, Janet D’Souza and Ravi Jadhav.

Appearing to go against the party line, Himachal Pradesh PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh on Friday extended his “full support” for a Uniform Civil Code while urging against its “politicisation”.

On Facebook, the Congress leader said in Hindi, “I fully support the Uniform Civil Code which is necessary for India’s unity and integrity, but it should not be politicised.”

Singh is the son of Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Pratibha Singh. His late father Virbhadra Singh was a six-time chief minister of the state.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the UCC is on the “electoral agenda” of BJP.

“Triggering debates around Uniform Civil Code is an electoral ploy by Sangh Parivar to press their majoritarian agenda for deepening communal divide. Let’s oppose any attempts to undermine India’s pluralism and support reforms through democratic discussions within communities,” Kerala CM tweeted.

Reacting to Pinarayi’s tweet, BJP Kerala president K Surendran said that CPI(M) has become a Muslim party as it opposed UCC.

“CPI(M) has become a Muslim party. The latest example of this is Pinarayi Vijayan’s stand against the uniform civil code,” he said.