Uniform Civil Code Will Offer Equal Justice To All Women: Kerala Governor

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has said a uniform civil code is the constitutional objective to deliver uniform justice to all communities, and added that a wrong narrative was being built around it.

He was here to attend India Minority Conclave 2023, organised by NID Foundation.

"Uniform civil code is the constitutional objective to deliver uniform justice that is common for all communities. There is a wrong narrative being built around uniform civil code that by adopting it there will be intrusion in our religious practices or the existence of other countries will be in-danger," he said on Tuesday.

"The provisions of uniform civil code are to offer equal justice to women belonging to different communities, be it matrimonial disputes or inheritance of property disputes.

"Women in our country have been subjected to injustice due to different definitions of personal laws adopted by different communities and so there is a need to bring such a uniform law which has the same provisions for all the communities," a statement quoted Khan as saying.

The objection which is being raised today is that if a uniform civil code is enacted, it will erode the identity of every community and they will be forced to adopt uniform method for solemnisation of marriage, for burial of the dead and all kinds of things which is totally without basis, he said.

"Because the objective of a civil law is not to dictate you what customs and rituals you want to have. It is only about the uniformity of justice," he added.

"The beauty of Indian democracy is the vast diversity in terms of culture, caste and religion that it has yet it is one country with one vision," he said.

"We have to connect our youth with our traditions and heritage as all the Indian Civilizations have taught us very rich values with a message of universal brotherhood and communal harmony in India," he added.

Speaking on this occasion, National Commission for Minorities Chairman Iqbal Singh Lalpura said all communities have made equal contributions for the nation's development.

"If we talk about freedom struggle or wars with Pakistan, the freedom fighters and our defence forces have contributed in defending our land without caring about their religion or caste. Time has come that we should concentrate on the development of Indians as citizens and not people belonging to different communities," he said.

Parliamentarian Sasmit Patra said the prime minister has given a vision of "Amrit Kaal" and as a citizen "it is our duty to work towards realisation of this goal".

"Abolition of triple talaq, giving equal opportunities for higher education, supporting minority children for their education, and providing loans through PM Mudra Yojna for entrepreneurship for minorities are some of the landmark decisions of the Narendra Modi government," he said.

When India is moving ahead to become a global superpower, western powers with vested interests are putting all efforts to defame India and Indians, he added. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)