As Kirodi Lal Meena of the Bharatiya Janata Party introduced the Uniform Civil Code in India Bill, 2020 as a Private Member Bill in the Rajya Sabha amidst fervent opposition, chaos broke out. The Code aims to abolish personal laws based on religion.
Three motions were made to oppose the Bill on the grounds that it would disintegrate the country and harm its rich cultural diversity, but they were defeated by a majority of 63–23.
Union Minister Piyush Goyal stated that it is a member’s constitutional right to voice a concern that is in accordance with the fundamental principles of the constitution in the face of strong opposition from many parties. “Let this subject be debated in the House…at this stage to cast aspersions on the government, to try to criticise the Bill, is uncalled-for,” he said.
The bill was subsequently submitted to a voice vote by Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, with 63 votes in favour and 23 votes against it.
According to the legal news website Live Law, one MP stated that a Bill with such broad implications for people’s lives could not be introduced without extensive public consultation with several groups.
A Law Commission report stated that a Uniform Civil Code is not essential nor desirable, and CPI(M) MP John Brittas cited this report.
Tiruchi Siva, a member of the DMK, said that the idea of a uniform civil code is in opposition to secularism.
RG Verma of the Samajwadi Party disagreed with the bill, claiming it violated constitutional provisions.
Harnath Singh Yadav, a member of the BJP, issued a Zero Hour Notice in the Rajya Sabha to bring up the country’s implementation of the Uniform Civil Code.
In order to create the Uniform Civil Code and execute it across India, the Bill calls for the formation of the National Inspection and Investigation Committee.
Although the Bill was scheduled for presentation in the past, the Upper House did not move it.
Just one day after the BJP’s historic victory in PM Modi’s home state of Gujarat, the Uniform Civil Code Bill was introduced in the upper house. The BJP had pledged in its Gujarat campaign to implement the code there.
In its 2019 Lok Sabha election manifesto, the BJP also promised to implement UCC if elected.
The Chenab Times News Desk