Criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said that implementation of UCC will lead to unrest all over the country. Speaking at a private event on Thursday, June 29, Stalin said that Modi’s plan of dividing the country and winning in the upcoming election will not materialise. He said, “The Prime Minister says that the country should not have two laws. He thinks that by creating unrest using religion, he can create confusion and win. In the upcoming election, people are ready to teach a lesson to the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party].”
Stating that the UCC must first be implemented within the Hindu religion, the Chief Minister said, “We don't want UCC only because the Constitution has given protection to every religion.”
Other opposition leaders have also spoken out against the implementation of UCC in the country. Senior Congress leader and MP Chidambaram echoed Stalin’s sentiments and said that the BJP is trying to implement UCC and polarise the society because they have failed to deliver good governance.
The former Home Minister launched a scathing attack on the Prime Minister, saying, “The PM has equated a nation to a family while pitching for the UCC. While in an abstract sense, his comparison may appear true, the reality is very different. A nation is brought together by a Constitution, which is a political-legal document. Even in a family, there is diversity. The Constitution of India recognised diversity and plurality among the people of India. A UCC is an aspiration. It cannot be forced on the people by an agenda-driven majoritarian government.”
While addressing booth workers in Madhya Pradesh on June 27, Chidambaram said Muslims were being misled in the name of UCC. He said, “These days, people are being provoked by the UCC. You tell me, if there is one law for one person in a home, and another law for another person, can that house function?” he asked.