New Delhi – The All India Muslim Personal Law Board, India’s highest Muslim organisation, called an emergency meeting Wednesday night, hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a compelling case for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) for the nation.
Speaking to BJP members in Bhopal yesterday, Prime Minister Modi claimed that having two laws in one country would not work because the Constitution states equal rights for all individuals and because even Supreme Court decisions have called for consistent laws.
He claimed that parties that are known for playing the vote-bank game were inciting Muslims, and the BJP had made the decision to reject appeasement.
The virtual meeting of the Muslim law board lasted almost three hours. In light of PM Modi’s comments, which are perceived as prioritising an objective that has always been included in BJP manifestos, they talked about the legal implications of the UCC.
Considering the arguments given by attorneys and specialists, the Muslim organisation has chosen to present its viewpoints to the Law Commission.
In light of rumours that the government will soon introduce a draught bill, the Law Commission has begun a new round of consultations on a Uniform Civil Code.
A Uniform Civil Code is a body of general laws that govern the entire nation and take the role of personal laws, laws governing inheritance, laws governing adoption, and laws governing succession that are based on religion. The State is required by Article 44 of the Constitution to work towards a uniform civil code over the whole Indian subcontinent.
In spite of strong opposition from opposition parties, a private member’s bill that seeks to establish a panel to draught a Uniform Civil Code was filed in the Rajya Sabha in September of last year. Similar proposals have in the past been scheduled for introduction, but have never made it to the Upper House.
The long-discussed topic has once again come into prominence thanks to PM Modi’s remarks yesterday.
“You tell me, how can there be one law for one member of the family and a different law for a different member? Will that house be habitable? So how will a nation with such a dual structure be able to function? We must keep in mind that the concept of equal rights for all is mentioned in the Constitution as well, the Prime Minister remarked.
“These individuals (the opposition) make accusations against us, but in actuality, their chants are Musalman, Musalman. “Muslim families would not have lagged in education and employment if they had actually been (working) in the interests of Muslims,” he continued.
Opposition parties were outraged by the remarks and accused the BJP of seeking to suppress variety and pluralism in the nation while ignoring more urgent issues like poverty, unemployment, and price increases.
A significant Muslim Law Board member claimed in an interview with NDTV that the Prime Minister singled out Muslims in his address over the Uniform Civil Code.
“In his speech, he singled out Muslims. This is deceptive. A major national concern is the legislation. Reforms are required in every aspect of society, according to Niyaz Farooqui.
Equity has a higher priority than equality. In the fight for uniformity, we must make sure that women don’t lose their rights, he said.
