The proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) has triggered an intense debate in Kerala with both the ruling Communist Marxist Party (CPI-M) and the Congress, the main opposition party in the state taking stand against it. A group of Muslim organisations led by the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) have called for a political and legal fight against the move to implement the UCC. The IUML would decide on the legal fight after going through the draft of the UCC.
UCC proposes a common set of laws governing personal matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption for all citizens irrespective of their religious affiliations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently revived the debate on UCC and slammed the Opposition parties for allegedly inciting minority communities against it. The PM's statement came a week after the 22nd Law Commission invited the views of the public on the same.
A coordination committee meeting of Muslim organisations including the IUML, two factions of the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, factions of the Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Muslim Education Society and Muslim Service Society, held in Kozhikode on July 4, took the call for a political and legal fight against UCC. The IUML, the second largest constituent of the Congress-led United Democratic Front, was quick to come out against the UCC terming it unconstitutional after the Prime Minister made a strong pitch for it.
IUML state president Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal, after the coordination meeting on Tuesday, said that the UCC will affect not just Muslims, but various other communities. He added that this is not something that should be fought on the street.
CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan said that UCC is part of Sangh Parivar’s Hindutva agenda and it does not recognise the country's diversity. Govindan also called for unity among secular forces to fight against the attempt to impose UCC. "The CPI(M)'s decision is to resist moves that will completely eliminate the diversity of the country," Govindan said. The party is organising a national seminar on UCC in Kozhikode on July 15, he said. The party will also organise district-level programmes against it and has welcomed 'all those who are not communal' to participate in the events.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the move to impose UCC can be viewed only as a project to implement the Hindu majoritarian agenda to do away with the country's cultural diversities for the sake of one country and one culture. He called for an effort to reform and amend discriminatory clauses in personal laws. "For this, the support of the community is essential," he said.
EM Sankaran Namboodiripad, the first Chief Minister of Kerala and CPI(M) ideologue, had spoken out in favour of UCC implementation in 1985 following the Supreme Court verdict in Shah Bano case. In Kerala, CPI(M) under him also had led a campaign for reforms in Muslim personal laws. In an article in Deshabhimani written in 1985 EMS however opined that it shouldn't be implemented until there is a consensus emerges in the Muslim community regarding a common civil law.
The Congress has said that the BJP is trying to instigate tension through division in the UCC issue. "The Law Commission appointed by Modi in 2018 had spoken against the implementation of the UCC. The Congress holds the same stand. The issue will affect not only Muslims, but people belonging to different castes and religions including Hindus," said Opposition leader VD Satheesan. The party has also decided to organise an agitation against the UCC.