Amit Shah hails passage of UCC Bill in Gujarat
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday hailed the passing of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill by the Gujarat Assembly and said the country should be run not on the basis of appeasement, but through equal laws for all citizens.
In a post on ‘X’ in Gujarati, Shah said it has been the BJP’s resolve since its inception that there should be a uniform law for every citizen in the country.
He said under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP-ruled States are continuously moving forward in this direction.
Shah said he was delighted that after Uttarakhand, Gujarat has now also accomplished the “historic task” of passing the UCC Bill, thereby demonstrating its commitment.
“For this, I congratulate Chief Minister Shri @Bhupendrapbjp and all the legislators who supported this bill. The country should be run not on the basis of appeasement, but through equal laws for all citizens-this is both our priority and our resolve,” he said.
On Tuesday, the Gujarat Assembly passed the UCC Bill that seeks to put in place a common legal framework to govern marriage, divorce, succession and live-in relationships irrespective of religion after a marathon debate of more than seven hours.
The Bill stipulates seven years of jail term if marriages are conducted through force, coercion, or fraud, and also prohibits bigamy and polygamy.
It also makes registration of marriages and live-in relationships mandatory.
The ruling BJP hailed the Bill, which exempts tribals, as a landmark reform to ensure equality, while the Congress vehemently opposed it, saying it violates fundamental rights and was “anti-Muslim”.
The Bill was passed with a majority voice vote as the Opposition Congress and Aam Aadmi Party did not approve it and demanded that it be sent to the State assembly’s select committee.
