India needs UCC for healthy and robust democracy: says BJP’s Gudur Narayana Reddy

Hyderabad: BJP state executive committee member Gudur Narayana Reddy on Monday emphatically stated that India needs a Uniform Civil Code at any cost for a healthy and robust democracy.

In a media statement, he stated that the Law Commission has initiated a discussion on the need for the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code and that all those who support a healthy democracy in India should favor the UCC.

He stated that in fact, the Supreme Court of India had directed the Parliament to make laws related to the Uniform Civil Code. “Article 44 of the Constitution provides that State shall endeavor to secure for the citizens a Uniform Civil Code throughout the territory of India,” he said.

He said that with the enactment of the Uniform Civil Code, it would be possible to do away with overlapping provisions of law, all people will get equal status and there would be no discrimination, the nation would speak together and the country would emerge with new force and power.

Also, UCC Act would simplify the Indian legal system, reduces the burden on the judiciary, and would ensure speedy justice.

The BJP leader observed that an extra burden is put on the judiciary when different communities are governed by different laws which are the main cause of delay in justice.

Having a Uniform Civil Code will help to solve the case quickly and provide justice and also help simplify a lot of techniques that make confusions which are attached to the present scenario.

Narayana Reddy said that it promotes secularism, gives more rights to women (particularly to Muslim women), all will be treated equally, no discrimination would be allowed, loopholes in personal laws would be done away with, it would check vote bank politics, and it will unite India.

He said that though India is a democratic country and gives equal rights to all, the personal laws of various religions have been undermining this benefit. Personal laws are used to suppress women in some religions.

He said that Muslims in India still feel that they should be treated like in Pakistan or in Bangladesh, which was not possible. He said that in India no religion has been given higher status and all religions are equal as per the Constitution.

He said that all Indians are equal as far as the law is concerned. No one could claim special status in the name of religion or creed. All should abide by the Constitution of India.

Hence there is a strong reason to support the Uniform Civil Code in India and all Indians irrespective of their religious allegiances should support it, he said.