‘Uniform Civil Code is against India’s secularism’

“Fight against Centre’s proposal to implement UCC”

A large number of men and women associated with various Muslim organisations participating in a protest against Uniform Civil Code organised by Madurai Muslim Aikya Jamaat inMadurai on Monday.— Photo: R. Ashok

Asserting that enactment of Uniform Civil Code will be a blow to India’s secularism and diversity, M. Thamimun Ansari, general secretary of Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi and of MLA of Nagapattinam constituency, appealed to people of all faiths to join the fight against Centre’s proposal to implement UCC.

“Please do not think that it is a protest by Muslims to protect their rights. It is a fight to safeguard country’s secularism and diversity,” he said, while addressing a protest meeting organized here on Monday by Madurai Muslim Aikya Jamaat, in which a large number of members and leaders from various Muslim organisations participated.

He said a false propaganda was being carried out to project as if Muslims were the only beneficiaries of personal laws based on religions. “However, out of nearly 300 personal laws that were in force in the country, only four were for Muslims,” he claimed.

Condemning the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government for assuming that they had the backing of Hindus, Mr. Ansari pointed out that the present government had secured only 31 percent of votes.

Manithaneya Makkal Katchi President M.H. Jawahirullah blamed the BJP and the RSS for trying to draw a wedge between the majority and minority communities. “If the government goes ahead with UCC, a nation-wide protest, much stronger in magnitude than what was witnessed after the Shah Bano case judgement in 1985, will erupt,” he said.

Antony Pappusamy, Archbishop of Madurai Archdiocese, who participated in the protest to express solidarity, blamed the union government for its unnecessary focus on UCC when there were pressing issues to be addressed in the country. “Moreover, government has sought opinion on UCC without revealing what the nature and content is going to be. This is unfair,” he added.

K.A.M. Muhammad Abubackar of IUML, who is the MLA of Kadayanallur constituency, K.K.S.M. Tehlan Baqavi, State president of SDPI, A. Basheer Ahamed, President, Madurai Muslim Aikya Jamaat and leaders from various other organisations spoke at the meeting, which witnessed almost equal participation from men and women.