Uttarakhand to implement UCC legislation on Jan 27

The Uttarakhand government will implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state on January 27, officials aware of the matter said on Saturday.

- HT Correspondent

PRAYAGRAJ: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday voiced strong disapproval of intermittent demands to divide the state into four, saying "the potential of UP lies within its unity".

Yogi said this in an interview to the News18 at the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj on Saturday. Stating that Uttar Pradesh should maintain its identity and respect by staying united, he assured that the state would soon attain the goal of becoming a $1 trillion economy.

"UP is UP in itself and this is its potential. I think UP should achieve its goals by staying united and I think that is its strength. That is its identity and its respect," the chief minister said when asked about Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati's past statements that the state should be divided into four because of its large size.

Asked the meaning behind his oft-repeated slogan 'batoge toh katoge', Adityanath said, "During the Haryana elections, I visited Mathura and had the opportunity to unveil the statue of Durga Das Rathore in Agra. In the medieval era, Durga Das Rathore was a very valiant general of the Jodhpur king Maharaja Jaswant Singh. Rathore protected the family of the king when he was martyred in Aurangzeb's deceitful attacks. When Prince Ajit Singh grew up, he made him the king of Jodhpur again. All those who associate with the story, and who belong to the 'Teli' caste, wanted to install a statue in Agra, but some communities were opposing it. In the end, a compromise was reached, and the statue was installed, and it was there that I raised the slogan, 'Batoge toh katoge', while PM Modi also said 'ek rahoge toh safe rahoge'." This is the same message conveyed by the Mahakumbh."