New Delhi: Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal on Sunday slammed the Congress party for its stance on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), saying that "I think the Congress and its leaders have gone berserk." Defending UCC, Goyal said, "It is the need of the hour that a law should be made by uniting and including all the people of the country."
Speaking to the news agency ANI, he said, "Supreme Court had also talked about bringing UCC five times in different judgments. I think Kapil Sibal has forgotten the development works PM Modi has done for the minorities..."
He added, "We have a full majority in Rajya Sabha and I think there are many leaders from other parties who want that the country should unite. I think many parties will support BJP on Uniform Civil Code. We will get cross-party support for this."
Earlier in the day, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati said her party is not opposed to the idea of a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) but does not endorse the way the BJP and its government "seek to implement it in the country".
The former chief minister said the Constitution mentions securing a UCC for all citizens but there is no provision for "imposing it".
It should be implemented through consensus and awareness, she told at a press conference on Sunday. "However, it (awareness and consensus) is not being done. Indulging in narrow politics in the garb of UCC is not in the interest of the country. And this is being done," she said, according to PTI.
"Our party is not against the UCC, but it does not endorses the way in which the BJP and its government seek to implement it in the country," she added.
The debate over a uniform family law for all citizens in the country was revived after the Law Commission recently sought opinions from the public and intellectuals on the matter.
The discourse gathered momentum after Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently pushed for its implementation and accused the Opposition of instigating Muslims over the sensitive issue.