Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on April 29, criticised the Bhartiya Janta Party for using the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) as a political ploy ahead of the elections, asserting that Hindus will not benefit from it. Speaking at an electoral rally in the minority-dominated Jangipur constituency in Murshidabad district, Mamata accused the BJP of resorting to divisive tactics after it anticipated defeat in the initial phases of polling. Jangipur is to go for polls in third phase on May 7.
"Whenever there are elections, they use one issue or the other to flare up communal tensions. This time they are talking about the UCC and are propagating that it is against a particular community. But this UCC is nothing but political rhetoric and Hindus in no way will benefit from it," she said. Banerjee highlighted that sentiment against the BJP is growing across the nation and is evident after the first two phases of voting.
"After witnessing the voting pattern and percentage in the first two phases, we can confidently say that the BJP has lost. In the remaining five phases too, they will face a rout. Fear and panic have gripped the BJP. The rout of the saffron camp is only a matter of time," said Mamata. Meanwhile, she took a jibe at other parties including the Congress and Communist Party of India (Marxist). She warned voters against supporting the Congress and the CPI(M), branding them as "agents of the BJP" in West Bengal. "The CPI(M) and the Congress are two eyes of the BJP in West Bengal," she said.
Political strife around UCC
UCC is one of the key issues in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. In her earlier rally in Murshidabad’s Hariharpara on April 19, she asserted that she would not let the UCC, CAA, or NRC be implemented in West Bengal. She even called the 2024 general elections the "second battle for the country's independence," as according to her, the third term for BJP could pose a "threat" to the fundamental principles of the constitution and democracy.
On the other hand, the BJP has referred to the implementation of UCC as Prime Minister Modi’s guarantee. During his address at an electoral rally in Ashoknagar, Guna Lok Sabha constituency on April 26, Union Home Minister Amit Shah reiterated that the ruling party has clearly stated in its manifesto it will implement UCC. BJP has ended Triple talaq and started UCC and will take this forward.
(With PTI Inputs)
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