Given the sensitivities attached to the controversial Uniform Civil Code, the Government on Friday said in the Rajya Sabha that it will soon start consultations with all stakeholders to evolve a consensus. However, the Opposition questioned the Centre’s motive on the proposed implementation of the Code saying the present regime was trying to gain political mileage from the issue.
Raising the issue in Question Hour, Rajeev Shukla(Congress) maintained that on the one hand the Government said it was duty bound to implement the Uniform Civil Code and on the other hand, said the issue was complex and needed wider consultations. He charged the Government with trying to gain political points by raking up the sensitive matter and said the BJP-led combine says “one thing in Kashmir and another in other States of the country.”
His party colleague K Rehman Khan claimed the Government was selective in picking up the Uniform Civil Code for implementation even though some other issues like prohibition also figured in the Directive Principles of the Constitution. He wondered whether it was possible to have a code of this nature due to diversity in the country. Khan also raised the issue of scriptures in Quran followed religiously by Muslims and sought to know whether the Code was not in conflict with religious beliefs. D Raja(CPI) asked the Government to spell out the mechanism of seeking consensus.
Maintaining that the Government “will move forward on the Civil Code as mandated by the Constitution,” Minister for law and Justice DV Sadananda Gowda said the Centre will initiate wider consultation at the “earliest” to evolve a consensus as it will strengthen the status of women. The Uniform Civil Code covers marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption and maintenance.
“The Code is based on the assumption that the personal laws based on scriptures and customs of each religious community in the country be replaced with a common set governing every citizen in a civilised society,” he said. Referring to a form of uniform civil code in Goa, which is accepted by all in the State, Gowda said the aim is to have a code for the country which is agreed by all.
He, however, made it clear that the code should not be in conflict with Article 25 of the Constitution, which relates to freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion.
“For this only, I said this is a sensitive issue and we should work out the modalities so as the Code is not in conflict with Article 25,” the Minister added. He also referred to Supreme Court judgments in Shah Bano and Sarla Mudgal cases stressing the need for having a Uniform Civil Code.