Underscoring that the Uniform Civil Code or UCC will strengthen the spirit of democracy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday hailed it as "Secular Civil Code", a day after Uttarakhand became the first state to implement the law.
"Yesterday, Uttarakhand became the state to implement the Uniform Civil Code...I congratulate the Uttarakhand government for this. It will strengthen the spirit of democracy and the Constitution," said the PM after inaugurating the 38th National Games in Dehradun.
"UCC has same team spirit as sports, discrimination against none," said the Prime Minister.
The introduction of a Uniform Civil Code to replace laws on marriage, divorce and inheritance has been a longstanding goal of PM Modi and his party, the BJP. Muslim leaders and critics say the UCC challenges Islamic laws on divorce, marriage and inheritance.
On Monday, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said one state has made Uniform Civil Code a reality and it is only a matter of time that the "entire country will have similar legislation".
"Some people, out of ignorance, are criticizing the Uniform Civil Code. How can we criticize something which is mandate of the Indian Constitution, an ordainment emanating from our founding fathers, something that has to bring about gender equality?" the Vice President said yesterday.
In December, Union Home Minister Amit Shah told Rajya Sabha that every state with a BJP government would bring in the Civil Code the way it was done in Uttarakhand. The promise of the UCC was included in the BJP's election manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections.
Other BJP-ruled states such as Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have signalled plans to bring in their own civil codes.
