Implementation of Uniform civil code will divide India: TNCC chief K.S. Alagiri

Speaking at a Constitution Day function, Mr. Alagiri said all religious communities had accepted the Constitution but a uniform civil code would not be accepted.

TNCC President K.S. Alagiri at a meeting on Constitution Day in Chennai. | Photo Credit: K.V. SRINIVASAN

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K.S. Alagiri on Saturday opposed Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent statement that Uniform Civil Code (UCC) would be implemented in India, and said such a law in a multi-cultural, multi-religious and multi-lingual country would have serious consequences.

He was speaking at a Constitution Day function organised by the party’s lawyers’ wing at Sathyamurthy Bhavan in Chennai.

Addressing reporters, he said all religious communities had accepted the Constitution but a uniform civil code would not be accepted. “The Indian Constitution has given equal rights to linguistic and religious groups and India has been united for the last 70 years, thanks to the efforts of Jawaharlal Nehru. Uniform Civil Code is not practical...; Pakistan and Bangladesh have the same religion but split because of language,” he said.

Mr. Alagiri said that the Congress-DMK alliance was strong, and would continue in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. “There is no chance of parties in the DMK alliance joining the AIADMK alliance.”

Election commission

Mr. Alagiri said that TNCC would form a panel headed by advocate Masilamani, who will submit a report on how the election commission should function and its responsibilities and powers, and how the chief election commissioner should be appointed after Supreme Court flagged the issue.