Uniform Civil Code / Why will the Central Government not bring the UCC Bill in the Parliament?

Uniform Civil Code: BJP has been raising the issue of Uniform Civil Code since the era of Jansangh and also promised to implement it in the country after coming to power. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's raising of the issue of equal civic association in the Bhopal rally is being seen as a measure of public opinion in the country. Since the rally, the market of discussions on this issue got hot. Seeing the vote bank, political parties also started supporting and opposing it. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board has openly announced its opposition to the UCC. Voices of protest started rising from the tribal and Sikh community as well.

All the allies of BJP are also taking their own stand on the issue of Uniform Civil Code. The three chief ministers of the Northeast are against the UCC while they are running the government in alliance with the BJP. In such a situation, the Modi government has assigned the responsibility to four ministers to hold discussions with different communities. It is being said that the Modi government is unlikely to bring a bill on UCC in the Parliament.

Let us tell you that BJP has always been raising the issue of one country, one legislation and one symbol. In the first and second term of the Modi government, a solution has been found for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya and Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. In such a situation, only the issue of Uniform Civil Code is left. PM Modi had never spoken on this in 9 years, but on June 27, in the Bhopal rally, he spoke in detail on the Uniform Civil Code and also told that the Supreme Court is constantly putting pressure on the government to implement it. . After the rally, there was a buzz that the Modi government might step up its act on the UCC and bring the bill in Parliament in the monsoon session. But now it does not seem so.

Support and Opposition of UCC

Most parties are opposing the Uniform Civil Code. Only 7 out of 7 parties have got support on UCC so far. 12 parties are against it while the stand of 11 parties is not clear yet. BJP, Aam Aadmi Party, BSP, Shiv Sena (Shinde), Shiv Sena (Uddhav) Apna Dal (S) YSR Congress are in support of UCC. At the same time, Congress, CPI, CPM, TMC, National Conference, RJD, SP, JDS, Akali Dal, Muslim League, DMK and AIMIM are standing against UCC. Apart from this, the stand of parties like TDP, JJP, BJD, BRS, AIODMK, HAM, PDP, JDU, NCP, JMM and VBA is not clear on UCC.

BJP's allies are also angry

On the issue of UCC, BJP does not seem to be getting the support of even its allies. It is being opposed the most in the North-Eastern states, where it is being opposed in one way or the other. In Meghalaya, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, who is running the government in collaboration with the BJP, has clearly stated that he is not with the BJP on the UCC. CM Sangma had said that ours is a matriarchal society and this is our strength. This has been our culture. Now it cannot be changed.

The Mizo National Front may be running the government in Mizoram along with the BJP, but its stand on the issue of UCC is different. Mizoram has passed a resolution in the assembly that even if the central government gets it passed by the parliament, it will not be applicable in Mizoram. It can be implemented in the state only when it is passed by the assembly. NPF leader Neiphiu Rio, who is running the government along with the BJP in Nagaland, is also against the UCC. He warned that any attempt to impose a possible Uniform Civil Code would be futile.

There is an alliance between BJP and Asom Gana Parishad in Assam, but on the issue of UCC, it has a different stand from BJP. Similarly, BJP's allies in Manipur are angry on the issue of UCC, while in Tripura BJP's ally IPFT is also angry. Not only this, BJP's ally AIADMK in Tamil Nadu has also clearly stated that they are not together on the issue of UCC. They say that they will not compromise on their identity. Have lived with him. Will live further. The parties of the Northeast are seeing a threat to their identity and culture with the arrival of the UCC.

The haunting fear of moving northeast

In the last 9 years, BJP has strengthened its political roots in the Northeast, on the basis of which it is in power in all the states of North East on its own or is included as an ally. After the defeat of Karnataka, BJP has been wiped out from South India. Thus BJP is in power in Gujarat, UP, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh on its own while in Haryana and Maharashtra with alliance. In such a situation, only the North-East region is being saved, where protests against UCC are being raised. In such a situation, if the government takes the step of bringing UCC, then political challenges can arise in the North Eastern states.

Manipur is already burning and has been in the grip of violence for two months. In such a situation, if the UCC law comes, the spark can flare up even more. Along with Manipur, anti-UCC movement can also arise in other states of North East. During the CAA, agitations broke out in many states of the North East including Assam, in which the BJP was left sweating. Tribals are seeing a threat to their religious identity and culture from UCC, due to which their opposition can also intensify. Will BJP want to take such a big political risk in the Northeast before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections?

Will BJP anger the tribals?

BJP is constantly focusing on the tribal community, due to which Draupadi Murmu was made the President of the country. For the first time in the Gujarat elections, the BJP has got the outright vote of the tribal community and out of the five states where elections are to be held this year, tribal voters are very important in four states. If the Modi government steps forward on the issue of UCC, then there is a danger of alienating the tribal community coming to BJP, because UCC will become one law for all on issues like marriage, divorce, inheritance. Because of this, the tribal community is seeing a threat to its identity and rights.

Regarding UCC, it is being said that the rights and freedom of the tribal society of the country can be reduced, due to which voices of protest are being raised from the tribal community. The population of the tribal community is 8.6 percent in the country, but in many states, tribals have the power to make and spoil the game of any political party. Out of the total 543 Lok Sabha seats in the country, 47 seats are reserved for the tribal community, out of which BJP was successful in winning 31 seats in 2019. In such a situation, will BJP be able to dare to take the risk of displeasure with the tribal community by bringing UCC.

How will the Pasmanada-Sikh-Christian bet work?

BJP is constantly making efforts to pacify the Pasmanda-Bohra Muslim, Sikh and Christian communities. PM Modi has special focus on Pasmanda and Bohra Muslims. Similarly, in Punjab, the BJP is trying to win over the Sikh community, while in Kerala it is trying hard to win the faith of the Christian community. In such a situation, from Muslims to Sikh and Christian communities are not in favor of implementing UCC. The Muslim Personal Law Board submitted its draft to the Law Commission and registered its objections on the UCC and has also announced its protest.

Seeing the displeasure of the Sikh community, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann has opposed the UCC, which is opposite to the stand of the Aam Aadmi Party. In such a situation, in view of the opposition of a large section of the minority community to the Modi government, questions are being raised whether the government will be able to muster the courage to bring the UCC Bill in the Parliament. The CAA was opposed mostly by the Muslim section, but the UCC is being opposed by people of all religions included in the minority community. In such a situation, it has to be seen whether the Modi government will be able to move forward on UCC?

Looking at the political compulsions of the government, it is being said that its litmus test will be done by implementing UCC in Uttarakhand, Assam and Gujarat. Because these three states are being considered as the laboratory of Hindutva. If the experiment is successful in these three states, then the matter of making a national law on this can be taken forward.