BJP govts to soon bring UCC in every state: Shah

The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) implemented by Uttarakhand is a model law that will be debated widely and then the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments will bring a common civil code in all states, Union home minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday as he accused the Congress of undermining the Constitution and promoting appeasement politics.

- Smriti Kak Ramachandran

Replying to the debate on the 75th year of the Constitution in the Rajya Sabha, a combative Shah drew a contrast between constitutional amendments brought by the Congress and the BJP to argue that the former pushed changes for personal gains and power. In an 85-minute speech, he also alleged that the Congress never respected reservations, wanted to breach the 50% ceiling to bring religion-based quotas, and attacked the opposition party over the imposition of Emergency.

"We work democratically...A law that brought huge changes to social life was passed as a model law by Uttarakhand. It will be examined legally and by religious heads, there will be discussions...suggestions will be accepted. After that, BJP governments will bring a common civil code in all states," he said.

"That it couldn't be brought till now is due to the Congress's appeasement politics." UCC refers to a common set of laws that will subsume customary laws across faiths and govern issues such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and maintenance. Part of the troika of core ideological goals of the BJP, UCC was among the party's poll promises in the 2022 assembly elections.

Last February, Uttarakhand passed a UCC law that provided for equal rights to women in marriage, divorce, alimony and inheritance of property, proscribed certain kinds of relationships, banned polygamy, made registration of marriages mandatory, and mandatory registration or self-declaration for live-in relationships. The law has not yet been implemented.