UCC bulldozer is to permanently polarise society: Congress
The Congress on Wednesday, September 23, criticised the Narendra Modi government’s approach to the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), alleging that the issue is being used for political division rather than as a matter of legal reform.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the UCC was being used as an instrument of “division, disruption and diversion”. He also alleged that the issue was being used to create prejudice and keep society politically polarised. These are the Congress party’s political assertions about the government’s approach to the UCC.
The Congress comments came after former Bombay High Court judge Justice R.C. Chavan resigned from the Maharashtra government’s committee working on a framework for implementing the UCC in the state.
Justice Chavan resigned on September 19, after attending two meetings of the seven-member committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Desai. The committee was formed by the Maharashtra government in July to prepare recommendations on the UCC.
Chavan said he had differences with the committee over the process being used to collect public feedback. In particular, he raised concerns about framing questions mainly in a “yes or no” format, arguing that complex issues involving family and personal life required more detailed responses.
He also questioned the participation of a person who was not a formal member of the committee in one of its meetings. Chavan said he had suggested wider consultations involving law universities, legal services authorities and members of the public. He proposed collecting at least 10,000 responses to ensure that different views were considered.
Despite his resignation, Chavan said he supports the idea of considering a UCC. He told The Indian Express that the process should give people greater autonomy in matters concerning their personal lives and should aim to promote social unity. He also argued for wider public participation before any final framework is prepared.
The Maharashtra government has said it plans to introduce UCC legislation during the winter session of the state Assembly after receiving the committee’s recommendations. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the committee would first complete its work before the government moves ahead with the legislation.
The UCC is intended to create common rules for areas of personal law such as marriage, divorce, adoption and inheritance across religious communities. Its implementation has remained a politically sensitive issue, with different political parties taking different positions on the proposal.
Justice Chavan’s resignation has therefore brought renewed attention to both the consultation process and the wider political debate surrounding the UCC. The Maharashtra committee is continuing its work, while the Congress has used the resignation to question the approach being followed by the government.