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Naqvi backs U’khand govt’s move to roll out Uniform Civil Code
Speaking on the sidelines of the 10-day fair ‘Hunar Haat’ in Chandigarh, Naqvi said, “The decision of the Uttarakhand chief minister to implement the UCC is in the interest of the country”
Chandigarh: Union Minister for minority affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Friday backed the Uttarakhand government’s decision to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 10-day fair ‘Hunar Haat’ in Chandigarh, Naqvi said, “The decision of the Uttarakhand chief minister to implement the UCC is in the interest of the country.”
Saying that the Constitution framed by Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad and Jawaharlal Nehra has a provision for the Uniform Civil Code, the minister said, “Article 44 of the Constitution states that it is the responsibility of respective governments to clear the way for the implementation of the UCC. Even in the 75th year of independence, we have not been able to respect this basic philosophy of the Constitution.”
Article 44, which is part of the Directive Principles of State Policy of the Indian Constitution says that the state shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a Uniform Civil Code throughout the territory of India.
In the first cabinet meeting after getting re-elected, the BJP government in Uttarakhand decided to implement the Uniform Civil Code in the state. The state cabinet unanimously approved the constitution of a high-powered committee of experts for the purpose. Uttarakhand will be the first state to do so.
On Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s comments on the movie “Kashmir Files”, Naqvi said, “I don’t understand why he is acting in such a manner when he is not among the guilty.”
He further said the movie has forced some political parties to reinvent history in order to hide their own role in Kashmir. “All those guilty in Kashmir should be punished and Kashmiri Pandits should be re-settled in the Valley,” Naqvi said.
