Conrad Sangma on UCC: Bharatiya Janata Party’s ally in Meghalaya, National People's Party supremo and state’s Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Friday (June 30) said that the ‘Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in its present form is against the idea of India’.
Sangma said that diversity is the strength of India and the UCC will go against it.
"NPP feels that UCC will go against the idea of India being a diverse nation, with diversity being our strength and identity," he said in a press conference.
Amid the ongoing debate over the implementation of UCC in the country, NPP became the second ally partner of the BJP to have voiced its opinion against the line of the saffron party’s pitch. The Opposition has objected to the UCC.
BJP’s Nagaland ally Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) had opposed to the move yesterday.
NPP chief Sangma, who became the second ally of the BJP to talk against the motion, said that the Northeast has got a unique culture and society and will want to remain that way.
However, he added that it would be difficult to go into the details without seeing the actual content of the UCC draft.
He noted that Meghalaya has a matrilineal society and there are different cultures in Northeast, and asserted, "These cannot be changed."
What Nagaland ally NDPP said on UCC?
NDPP said that the implementation of the UCC will have a negative impact on the rights of the minority communities.
“In view of the Public Notice of 14th June 2023 by the 22" Law Commission of India (LCI) constituted by the Government of India (GoI) with regards to examining the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) is of the strong and firm opinion that implementing the UCC will have a negative impact on the freedom and rights of the minority communities and the tribal people of India,” a statement by the party said.
Why UCC debate?
The Opposition parties launched a series of attacks on the Centre after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the party workers on June 27, asked how can a country run on two laws, in reference to the UCC.
Addressing a gathering of party workers in Bhopal on June 27, the Prime Minister said even the Supreme Court has advocated for a Uniform Civil Code, but those practising vote bank politics are opposing it.
He also asked how the country can have two systems, touching upon an issue closely identified with the BJP with less than a year left for the Lok Sabha polls.
(With PTI inputs)
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