The Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, a prominent Islamic organisation, asserted on Monday that the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) went against the religious freedom guaranteed by the Constitution. However, the organisation clarified that it would not resort to street protests but oppose the UCC through lawful means.
This statement came in response to the Law Commission of India's recent consultation process on the UCC, which sought input from stakeholders, including public and recognised religious organisations, on this politically-sensitive issue.
According to a statement issued on Monday, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind expressed its opposition to the UCC, stating that it was "completely contrary to the religious freedom and fundamental rights guaranteed to citizens under Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution."
The organisation emphasised that India's Constitution was secular, granting full religious freedom to every citizen and the right to choose their religion, as the Indian state had no official religion, ensuring complete freedom for all citizens.
During its executive meeting on Sunday, the executive committee of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind (Arshad Madani faction) passed a resolution against the UCC. The organisation alleged that the demand for a UCC was a deliberate attempt to restrict religious freedom and had been opposing this effort from the beginning, as it believed that the demand undermined the religious freedom of citizens and the original spirit of the Constitution.
The Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind argued that the UCC contradicted the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution, making it unacceptable to Muslims and detrimental to the unity and integrity of the country.
Maulana Arshad Madani, the president of Jamiat, stated that this matter was not only relevant to Muslims but also concerned all Indians. He emphasised that Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind could not compromise on religious affairs and worship in any way and stated that they would oppose the UCC through lawful means rather than taking to the streets in protest.
The Jamiat further expressed surprise at the idea of imposing a UCC in a pluralistic society like India, where followers of different religions had peacefully coexisted for centuries, practicing the teachings of their respective faiths. The organisation claimed that Article 44 of the Constitution was being misused to mislead the majority by targeting a specific sect.
The statement referred to the views of the second sarsanghchalak (chief) of the RSS, Guru Golwalkar, who himself had stated that the "Uniform Civil Code is unnatural to India and against its diversity." The Jamiat highlighted that while the UCC was mentioned in the directive principles of the Constitution, it was the fundamental rights of citizens that were guaranteed.
The Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind alleged that the basic rights of citizens were frequently violated without provoking any protests, emphasising the need for attention to such matters.