India’s ruling BJP pushes for Uniform Civil Code
Munawar Zaman
Press TV, New Delhi
It is known as the world’s largest and perhaps the most plural democracy, where people from all faiths have been living for centuries. But with the emergence of the Ruling BJP, religion seems to have become the easiest tool to appease the voters ahead of elections.
As the ruling BJP starts its campaign ahead of 2024 general elections, the issue of uniform civil code, which would provide for one law for the entire country, has become topic of the day both on political and social domains.
In India, religious communities are governed by their own personal law which protects communal identities and rights. Experts say UCC, however, could threaten the secular and communal harmony of the world’s second most populous nation.
In an ongoing poll campaign in the state of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, the ruling party has promised to implement uniform civil code in the BJP-ruled states. Many religious groups and activists denounced the move, saying it will tear apart the cultural heritage of minorities.
While the government insists the uniform civil code can help gender equality, many are pointing out the fact that the ruling party has decided to keep some extremely discriminatory laws unchanged. Critics believe the latest move is rather an attack on India, [which] in recent years has adopted various laws and policies that are discriminatory against the country's minorities.
The ruling party is also accused of having infiltrated the country's police and courts, empowering Hindu nationalists to threaten, harass, and attack religious minorities with impunity besides cracking down on any voices of dissent.
Rights activists say it is a deliberate attempt to target the minority community especially Muslims, which is the largest minority group in India with more than 200 million residents.
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