Owaisi hits out at Shah's UCC remark, questions NDA allies' independent voice

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday hit out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah's announcement that BJP-led NDA governments in 21 states would introduce the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) before 2029, questioning whether the alliance partners had an "independent voice".

Owaisi said the BJP's allies should demonstrate that they were not merely "choti BJP".

In a post on X, he also referred to the Law Commission appointed by the NDA government, claiming it had concluded that a UCC was neither necessary nor desirable.

Owaisi said India's "soul" was its pluralism and alleged that implementing a UCC would amount to imposing Hindu law on non-Hindus.

"It’s ironic that the BJP wants a UCC while its own states pass laws like the Disturbed Areas Act, which prohibit the sale of property between Muslims and Hindus. The so-called 'love jihad' laws have been applied exclusively against Christians and Muslims. A UCC isn’t about equality; it’s about targeting Muslims," he said.

Owaisi also questioned Shah's remarks on the National Register of Citizens (NRC), saying the Home Minister's statements and "chronology" had contributed to the anti-CAA/NRC protests in 2019.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had subsequently clarified that an NRC was not going to be implemented.

Drawing a parallel with the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Owaisi alleged that a similar situation was unfolding, with ordinary people being required to attend hearings and produce documents.

The AIMIM chief said the SIR exercise had caused immense hardship, particularly to minorities, SC/STs and migrants, and warned that an NRC would be "100 times worse".

He pointed to the experience of Assam and said an NRC would force people to repeatedly prove their citizenship.

"The National Register of Citizens will force everyone to stand in line and prove their citizenship. In a country where 80 crore people depend on ration for food, you want them to find documents and prove their citizenship? To what end? This government wants us to be at the mercy of one babu or another," he said.

Shah had on Sunday said BJP-led NDA governments in 21 states would introduce the UCC before 2029.

"Triple talaq has been abolished, giving Muslim women equal rights. We have introduced the Uniform Civil Code in several states, and I am confident that in the 21 BJP-NDA-ruled states, we will introduce the UCC before 2029," Shah said in Mumbai.

On the NRC in Manipur, Shah was asked whether the 1951 baseline would be used for its implementation. He said the Centre was holding discussions with its allies and political parties in the state.

"We are discussing these issues with our allies and also with the political parties of Manipur. Whatever decision is taken, we will inform you," he said.