NDA is in disarray as Meghalaya’s chief minister labels UCC “against the idea of India”

The aggressive push for a universal civil code (UCC) by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has divided the Bharatiya Janata Party’s allies as well as the opposition parties, with Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangama labelling it antithetical to the concept of India. The leader of the National People’s Party said during a news conference on Friday that India’s diversity is one of its greatest strengths, and that his party believes the UCC in its present form would undermine this notion.

A shared collection of rules controlling all citizens’ personal affairs, including marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption, is referred to as the UCC.

According to Sangma, the Northeast has a distinctive culture and civilization and wants to keep it that way. However, the NPP leader said that without knowing the exact text of the UCC draught, it would be impossible to go into the specifics. He noted that Meghalaya has a matrilineal society and that the Northeast has many customs, saying, “These cannot be changed.”

“NPP feels that UCC will go against the idea of India as a diverse nation, with diversity being our strength and identity,” he remarked.

Sushil Modi, a prominent member of the BJP and chair of the parliamentary standing committee on personnel, public grievances, law, and justice, said on Friday that the committee would convene on July 3 to hear the opinions of all parties involved on the UCC issue. Since the group includes representatives from all major parties, Modi maintained that the conference would be non-political.

The opposition has accused the prime minister of using “polarisation” techniques as he made a new pitch for UCC at a rally in Bhopal.

Sharad Pawar, the leader of the Nationalist Congress Party, said that when the government addresses several issues, his party would determine where it stands on the UCC. The Sikh community had a different viewpoint, the NCP president added, adding that it was important to find out what the positions of groups like the Jains, Christians, and Sikhs were. It would not be proper to decide on the UCC without taking into account the opinions of the Sikh community, according to Pawar, since they are not in the mindset to endorse it.

While the AAP declared its “in-principle” support for a UCC, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) demanded clarification from Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on his claim that the state’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party was attempting to “mislead” its constituents on the most delicate matter of a UCC.

Cheema referred to it as “sheer hypocrisy and political expediency sans any morality” and said that “it is clear that the AAP high command has taken a decision to support the implementation of a UCC in the country without taking its Punjab unit, chief minister, or even the Sikh community into confidence.”

A committee led by former vice chancellor of Mumbai University Balchandra Mungekar has been established by the Maharashtra Congress to investigate the effects of the planned UCC. The nine-person committee, which was formed by state unit chairman Nana Patole, would also comprise prominent politicians Vasant Purke, Hussain Dalwai, Anees Ahmed, Kishori Gajbhiye, Amarjit Manhas, Janet D’Souza, and Ravi Jadhav in addition to journalist and Rajya Sabha member Kumar Ketkar.

While arguing against its “politicisation,” Himachal Pradesh PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh on Friday seemed to deviate from the party line. He offered his “full support” for a Uniform Civil Code.

The Congress lawmaker posted on Facebook in Hindi, saying, “I fully support the Uniform Civil Code which is necessary for India’s unity and integrity, but it should not be politicised.”

Singh is the son of Pratibha Singh, the head of the Himachal Pradesh Congress. Six times, his late father Virbhadra Singh served as the state’s chief minister.

The UCC is on the “electoral agenda” of the BJP, according to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

“Sangh Parivar is using the issue over the Uniform Civil Code as a political gimmick to forward its majoritarian objective for widening the gulf between the races. Let’s fight back against any efforts to undermine India’s plurality and support changes via democratic community dialogue, the Kerala CM tweeted.

In response to Pinarayi’s tweet, K Surendran, the head of the BJP in Kerala, said that the CPI(M) had transformed into a Muslim party since it opposed UCC.

“CPI(M) is become a party of Muslims. “Pinarayi Vijayan’s opposition to the uniform civil code is the most recent illustration of this,” he stated.