Up in arms against a code

The uniform civil code goes against this diversity, says the KPCC president.

Muslim Coordination Committee members take out a march to Raj Bhavanon Saturday in protest against the Centre's proposal to implement a uniform civil code. — Photo: S. Gopakumar

The Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre is trying to divide people on communal lines ahead of the Uttar Pradesh election with their proposal for the implementation of the uniform civil code, KPCC president V.M. Sudheeran has said. He was inaugurating a Raj Bhavan march taken out by the Muslim Coordination Committee, a collective of 36 Muslim organisations, on Saturday against the proposal to implement the uniform civil code.

“The Modi government has referred the uniform civil code to the Law Commission. It is a first for a Central government. Each community has its own traditions and practices, which together makes up our country’s diversity. The uniform civil code goes against this diversity,” said Mr. Sudheeran.

‘Breach of promise’

He said that those who framed the country’s Constitution had promised that the uniform code will not be imposed by force. The Modi government has ignored this promise, he said.

“There have been attempts under this government to stir up social tension. More value is given now to a dead cow than the life of a human being. We have all seen the happenings in Dadri and Una. The blood stains of Gujarat riots are still on the hands of those ruling the country. It can never be washed away,” he said.

Mr. Sudheeran said that the recent comments of Narendra Modi against the ‘gau rakshaks’ are aimed only at cooling the people’s anger.

CPI(M) leader V.Sivankutty said that the soft approach of some secular democratic parties towards the BJP helped them to grow to this extent. “We all saw what happened in the Nemom constituency in the recent Assembly elections. A secular democratic party could poll just 10,000-odd votes,” he said.