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‘UCC against idea of India’, says Meghalaya CM and BJP ally Conrad Sangma
Recently after his US trip, PM Modi addressed the BJP booth workers in Bhopal during which he made a strong case for the implementation of UCC
The voice of growing disagreement to the proposed implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) by the Union government received buttress on Friday, with Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K. Sangma– an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), sharing similar views.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of an official event, Sangma observed that the proposed law goes against the actual idea of India.
“The UCC, from the party point of view, goes against the actual idea of India itself,” he said, even as he underscored, “India is a diverse nation, and the diversity is our strength.”
Also Read: Confusion in NDA as Meghalaya CM calls UCC ‘against idea of India’
Drawing attention to the fact truly little is known of the bill, the Meghalaya CM observed it would be difficult to go into the details without going through the UCC draft.
“We are a matrilineal society and that is what our strength and culture has been. Now, that cannot be changed for us,” he stressed.
From the National People’s Party (NPP) perspective, it would like to see the content and language of the bill.
He said, “The concept on its own is something that does not go with the idea of India whose strength and identity is its diversity. Hence, the NPP feels the UCC will go against this idea.”
“As a political party, we realise that the entire Northeast has got unique cultures. We want these to remain and not be touched,” Sangma said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strong pitch for a UCC has created confusion not only among the opposition parties but also among the allies of the BJP. Recently after his US trip, PM Modi addressed the BJP booth workers in Bhopal during which he made a strong case for the implementation of UCC.
UCC refers to a common set of laws governing personal matters like marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption, among others, of all citizens. In the Constitution, UCC is a part of the non-justiciable directive principles of state policy. In a 2018 consultation paper, the law commission said UCC was “neither necessary nor desirable at this stage”. In the Constitution, it is a part of the non-justiciable directive principles of state policy. In a 2018 consultation paper, the law commission said UCC was “neither necessary nor desirable at this stage”.
