BSP Not Against Uniform Civil Code, But We Don't Support The Way BJP Is Trying To Implement It: Mayawati

Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati said that the forceful implementation of the Uniform Civil Code will cause problems in a diverse country like India.

Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati addressed the media on Sunday clarifying her party’s stance on Uniform Civil Code (UCC). The UCC refers to a common set of laws that are applicable to all citizens of India that is not based on religion and dealing with marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption among other personal matters. Mayawati in her address said that while the party is not against the idea of UCC or its implementation, the BSP doesn’t agree with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre’s "forceful" way of implementing the UCC.  

“The implementation of UCC will strengthen the country and unite Indians. It will also develop a sense of brotherhood among people”, the BSP chief said. 

"Our party (BSP) is not against the implementation of UCC but we do not support the way BJP is trying to implement Uniform Civil Code in the country. It is not right to politicise this issue,” Mayawati remarked.

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister mentioned that BR Ambedkar in Section 44 of the Indian Penal Code of the Constitution has stated the attempt to form UCC. However, it doesn’t state to forcibly implement it.

According to the BSP chief, while implementation of UCC can strengthen the country and unite Indians, "politicising this issue will create problems." She remarked that the Modi government is introducing UCC "only to hide their failures", news agency PTI reported.

“The government should currently focus on issues like inflation, unemployment, education and healthcare," she opined.

On Friday, senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the NDA government at the Centre is determined to implement the UCC to ensure the right to justice for everybody in the country.

“Justice should be ensured to everybody including those who are exploited and deprived. The NDA government at the Centre is determined to implement the UCC to ensure the right to justice to everybody in the country,” he said while speaking at a function in Patna, Bihar. 

Prasad, a former Union minister, also slammed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for opposing the UCC and other 'important' issues. The BJP leader also alleged that Nitish Kumar is against the development of Bihar.