The General Secretary of the Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M), Sitaram Yechury, has said that the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) has specifically been designed to target the Muslim community and fuel communal polarisation ahead of the 2024 general elections.
While addressing a national seminar organised by his party in Kozhikode city of Kerala state, Yechury expressed concerns over the BJP government’s assurances to certain religious groups that they will be kept out of the UCC purview. As such, the legislation appears to specifically target Muslims.
The CPI-M leader citing the opposition of the 21st Law Commission to the proposed UCC quoted their recommendation that a uniform code is neither necessary nor desirable at this stage and maintained that the recognition and respect for differences is a hallmark of a robust democracy.
The seminar, attended by representatives from minority communities, Dalit and Adivasi organisations, social reform movements, and intellectuals, served as a platform to address the concerns surrounding the UCC.
Yechury, along with leaders from various political parties and ministers from the Kerala government, presented their stance against the UCC, emphasizing the need for personal law reforms.—KMS
