Centre cannot enforce UCC without Muslim community’s support, says Prashant Kishor

File Pic

Jan Suraj chief Prashant Kishor has expressed that the Indian government cannot implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) without first gaining the trust of the Muslim community. Speaking on Friday, he stressed that in a democratic society, the government must secure the confidence of those likely to be affected by any new law.

"The question of whether to implement the Uniform Civil Code is still under major debate. Without taking the Muslim population - which constitutes 20 per cent of the country - into confidence, it is impossible to implement such a far-reaching law," Kishor told ANI.

He likened the situation to protests across India in response to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC), highlighting the need for public support when introducing significant legislative changes. "We saw countrywide protests over CAA-NRC. Unless the government wins the trust of those impacted by the law, implementation becomes untenable," he added.

Kishor pointed to the recent reversal of the farm laws as a key example of the risks of excluding stakeholders from the legislative process. "Consider the farm laws, where there was no Hindu-Muslim dimension involved. The Centre passed the laws without consulting farmers, and look at the outcome - they had to repeal the law," he explained. "The strength of democracy lies in consulting the people. Whether it is UCC or any other law, without taking into account those affected, the government cannot see it through."

During his Independence Day address this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi advocated for a Uniform Civil Code, urging the nation to move towards a secular civil code that would free India from discrimination based on religious laws. Prime Minister Modi observed that India's current civil code has often been seen as communal and discriminatory, echoing the concerns of many citizens and the judiciary.

"In our country, the Supreme Court has consistently raised the issue of the Uniform Civil Code and has issued repeated orders on it. A large section of the population believes that the civil code we live by today is, in effect, a communal and discriminatory code," he stated. "This is a matter for serious national debate, and everyone should contribute their views."

Implementing the UCC is a longstanding promise of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and it has been featured in the party's manifesto for the 2024 general elections. The UCC seeks to establish uniform personal laws across all citizens in India, covering areas such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, and property rights, and aims to ensure that laws apply equally, regardless of religion, gender, or sexual orientation.

The UCC proposal has sparked varied reactions, with supporters viewing it as a step toward true secularism and critics warning that it may infringe on religious freedoms. Kishor's remarks highlight concerns about implementing such a sweeping reform without inclusive dialogue. The path forward, he suggests, requires balancing national unity with respect for diverse perspectives, ensuring the UCC's success hinges on broader support from all communities.

(With inputs from ANI)