The Bharatiya Janata Party government in Gujarat on Tuesday formed a committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge to assess the need for the Uniform Civil Code in the state, and also draft a bill for the same.
While the Opposition said the decision was aimed at diverting attention from pressing issues ahead of the upcoming local body polls, the government claimed rights of the tribal communities will be protected if the UCC is implemented.
The five-member committee, to be headed by Justice (retd) Ranjana Desai, will submit its report within 45 days, following which a decision about implementation of the UCC will be taken, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel told reporters in Gandhinagar.
The committee will meet religious leaders, including those from the Muslim community, for consultations.
"To assess the need for a Uniform Civil Code and to prepare a draft bill, we have decided to form a committee under a former judge of the Supreme Court," CM Patel said.
Other members of the committee are retired IAS officer CL Meena, advocate RC Kodekar, former vice chancellor of Veer Narmad South Gujarat University Dakshesh Thakar and social worker Gita Shroff.
Notably, the BJP-ruled Uttarakhand has already implemented the UCC.
CM Patel said his government is committed to fulfil Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resolve of implemen the UCC across the country.
The panel will examine various aspects and take views of people from different walks of life, and an "appropriate decision" will be taken after perusing its report, the CM said.
Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi said that the UCC, if implemented, will protect the rights of tribals.
"The UCC implemented by Uttarakhand presented a model before the country because it protects the customs and traditions of tribals. (Union) Home Minister Amit Shah has also clarified in Jharkhand that UCC will protect the traditions followed by tribals," Sanghavi said.
The committee will meet religious leaders, including Muslim leaders, to prepare the report, he added.
Shroff and Thakar said the state government's approach is sensitive and shows it is committed to closing the loopholes in laws and ensuring justice to all.
Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Amit Chavda said the BJP is more interested in the "politics of minority and majority".
"In Gujarat, there are 14 per cent tribals. The UCC will affect the culture, customs, religious rites and marriage system of the tribal society. Similarly, the Jain community of Gujarat, and the Devipujaks will also be affected," he claimed.
Even the Indian Constitution has given freedom to certain communities to pursue their customs and culture, the Congress leader said.
"Implementation of the UCC is in the jurisdiction of the central government, and not the state. But since there is internal fighting in the BJP all over Gujarat, and the government here has failed in every way, this announcement is an attempt to divert people's attention ahead of the local body elections," he claimed.
Aam Aadmi Party state head Isudan Gadhvi said the BJP raises the UCC issue whenever there is an election.
"Even today, 80 percent of domestic disputes in Maldhari community are resolved by its own leaders. There is polygamy in the tribal society and all these will end if the UCC is implemented. Therefore, we believe the UCC is going to be a hindrance for Christians, Sikhs, Muslims," he claimed.
If the UCC is implemented in Gujarat, the BJP will not be able to win a single tribal seat, he said.
"I would also like to tell the BJP that it is not right to look at everything from the perspective of Hindu-Muslim or vote bank politics," Gadhvi said.
He claimed the issue has been raked up as local bodies polls are around the corner, it might be raised again before the assembly polls.
"BJP has done nothing about inflation or unemployment, it does not create jobs," he charged.
AIMIM leader Danish Siddique said the UCC was being used to target the Muslim community, and he does not have much hope from committee formed by the government to consider divergent views without a bias.
If tribals are kept outside the proposed law, it would not be a UCC, he said.
"We will put our side before the panel. When BJP targets Muslims over polygamy, it should know this is prevalent in other communities too. When one community is allowed (to have polygamy) and not others, then it is not UCC," he asserted.
Committee member Gita Shroff said she "firmly" believed that a common law will have many benefits. "In the past 30 years, I have seen difficulties faced by women and children in their fight for justice. UCC will help resolve this," she said.
Thakar said women are especially adversely affected due to personal laws, and the Supreme Court had directed in the Shah Bano case that contradictions in such cases be removed and a uniform law be framed.
"Even the Constituent Assembly framed guiding principles which have provisions for this. We know that Uttarakhand has implemented the UCC," he said.
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