Explained | The When, What And Why of BJP’s Uniform Civil Code Push
The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill was tabled in the state Assembly on Tuesday by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
A step has been taken towards fulfilling the BJP’s third and final core ideological agenda, which has been central to its belief system since its Jana Sangh days.
UCC bill tabled in Assembly
The implementation of the UCC and the abrogation of Article 370 – which were immediately carried out by the party after it returned to power with a higher seat tally following the 2019 Lok Sabha polls – precedes every other agenda of the party.
These were endorsed as the party’s guiding principles and core policies on October 21, 1951, when around 200 delegates assembled in the forecourt of the Arya Kanya Vidyalaya in New Delhi, where the Bharatiya Jan Sangh (BJS), the predecessor of the BJP, was born.
UCC bill tabled in Assembly
The implementation of the UCC and the abrogation of Article 370 – which were immediately carried out by the party after it returned to power with a higher seat tally following the 2019 Lok Sabha polls – precedes every other agenda of the party.
These were endorsed as the party’s guiding principles and core policies on October 21, 1951, when around 200 delegates assembled in the forecourt of the Arya Kanya Vidyalaya in New Delhi, where the Bharatiya Jan Sangh (BJS), the predecessor of the BJP, was born.
Uttarakhand CM Tables Uniform Civil Code Bill 2024 In State Assembly
Once the UCC becomes a reality in Uttarakhand, two other BJP-ruled states, Gujarat and Assam, will follow suit – both the state governments are expected to introduce more or less the same Bill, as reported by Indian Express.
In Uttarakhand, the introduction of the UCC was unveiled by Dhami as a poll promise right on the eve of the February 2022 Assembly elections, stating that the “security” of the state’s cultural and religious heritage, as well as its borders, were important for the country. The party returned to power with a thumping majority – 47 of 70 seats.
How is the BJP framing the UCC issue?
The argument that the UCC is not a populist measure, but rather “a modern approach to civil rights”, is made by ideologues in the party. According to R Balashankar, former editor of RSS affiliate The Organiser, the UCC has been part of the BJP’s core agenda since the Jana Sangh days.
It is emphasized that the UCC is not aimed at catching votes or being a populist measure, but rather at integrating the country as one nation with one law, particularly in civil matters such as inheritance, marriage, women’s rights, and sharing of family property. It is described as a modern approach to civil rights.
Suggestions for a UCC have previously faced protests from various groups, including Muslims, Sikhs, other minorities, and even some Hindus, who fear interference in their customs.
It is argued that a UCC violates fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution, including Article 25 (freedom to profess and practice one’s religion) and Article 29 (right to have a distinct culture), as well as the concept of unity in diversity, according to Indian Express.
