“BJP raking a new issue ahead of polls”, says AIUDF on Uniform Civil Code

Guwahati (Assam) [India]: All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) on Sunday targeted the Centre over the Uniform Civil Code, saying the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party was “raking up a new issue” ahead of the assembly elections in five states due later this year and Lok Sabha polls in 2024.

“I don’t know how the central government will bring the UCC. Presently, BJP has no issue. Earlier there were lot of issues like Babri Mosque, Article 370, Triple Talaq.

BJP is raking up a new issue ahead of the assembly elections in five states due later this year and 2024 Lok Sabha elections,” AIUDF General Secretary Aminul Islam told media.

“The Bharatiya Janata Party is targeting Muslims. Our party is against the UCC and will continue to oppose it,”  he added.

He also lashed out at Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma for his remarks on the rising prices of vegetables in the state.

“It’s the BJP’s strategy to divide the communities on the basis of caste and religion to get benefits. BJP is seeing that North East is not going in their favour, so to create a gap between the communities, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma made such statements that Miya Muslims are responsible for vegetable price rise,” he told media.

At a separte public meeting in Dhubri on July 13, AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal said that if UCC is implemented, he will start “wearing a saree”.

“I want to say to the government on behalf of you (the people), if the UCC is implemented, I will start to wear a saree and you (government) will also wear saree,” he said.

Article 44 of the Constitution of India says that the state shall endeavour to secure a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) throughout the territory of India.

The UCC proposes a common set of laws dealing with marriage, inheritance, adoption and other matters.

Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a strong case for the implementation of the UCC at a recent public meeting, several leaders in the Opposition voiced opposition to the proposed legislation.

With regard to a reference sent by the Ministry of Law and Justice on June 17, 2016, the 22nd Law Commission of India examined the subject matter of the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC).

The 22nd Law Commission of India decided to solicit the views and ideas of the public at large and recognised religious organisations about the Uniform Civil Code, asking interested parties to present their opinions by July 14.