Two Days Before United Opposition Meet, Congress Remains Undecided On UCC

Congress has still not come up with a decision with two days remaining for big opposition meeting in Bengaluru. The lack of clarity has extended its divide with CPM in Kerala.

A decision can have manifold possibilities and consequences and the same can happen if a certain decision is not made on time. The situation fits perfectly with Congress yet not disclosing its stance on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) which the PM Narendra Modi-led NDA government is mulling to bring into existence. A meeting of party leaders took place on Saturday over the UCC, Congress's KTS Tulsi told ANI. However, he said that nothing has been decided yet and the party will make a decision when the government will give the UCC draft. This comes as opposition parties prepared to meet on July 17 in Bengaluru in the second big huddled to chalk out the strategy for the Lok Sabha elections. The meet is taking place on the invite of the Congress party.

Congress's dilemma or delay is creating a major rift with CPI(M) in Kerala where CM Pinarayi Vijayan has clearly stated his anti-UCC stand. While Vijayan's LDF government and Congress-led UDF are the two opposite sides in Kerala, the two parties recently united during the West Bengal Panchayat polls and are also part of the united opposition front and will meet on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Salman Khurshid said that the UCC debate is not about black and white but about the rainbow colours of India. "We have to account for diversity, cultural identity, notions of justice, true inclusion, freedom of choice and conscience, possibility of internal consensual reform," he tweeted.

Congress Not Invited In CPI(M)'s Seminars

The CPI(M) in Kerala declared to hold a seminar on the Uniform Civil Code on July 15 but did not send an invite to the Congress. According to PTI, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan said that Congress does not have a united stand on the matter. He asked whether the grand old party had made any ''effective move'' so far against the BJP's attempt to implement the UCC in the country and whether the party's national leadership was ready for that.

''We have not invited the Congress to our seminar as the party has no clear stand on the matter...They are adopting different stance on the matter in various states,'' he told reporters, quoted PTI. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury would inaugurate the seminar in which all similar, secular-minded parties can participate, Govindan had said.

Congress Ally IUML Stands Away From CPM's Seminar Against UCC

In a big relief for the Congress in Kerala, its leading ally Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) on Sunday decided to refran from attending CPI(M)-sponsored seminars against the UCC, reported The Indian Express. The IUML decision came after the Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama, a powerful body of pro-IUML Muslim scholars in Kerala, decided to cooperate with the CPI(M) in the proposed seminars, the report further said.

It stated that after a meeting of its party leaders in Malappuram, IUML state president Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the party would not take part in the CPI(M) seminars against a UCC as the Congress had been kept away from it.

“The IUML is a part of the Congress-led UDF. Hence, our party can take a decision only in consultation with other allies of the UDF. The Congress can take the lead role in the fight against a UCC… We cannot fight against a UCC keeping the Congress out,’’ said Thangal, as quoted by the IE.

Reacting to IUML's decision, CPM state secretary in Kerala Govindan said it was not possible for them to accept it as they were part of the Congress-led UDF. ''The participation of one party or the other is not the issue...Whether our slogan (against fascism and UCC) is correct or not...That's the issue,'' he explained, as quoted by PTI.

Congress's 'Bahuswaratha Sangamam' Vs CPM's UCC Seminar

In a state of affairs where both Congress and CPM share the stage to battle against BJP-led NDA in the 2024 Lok Sabah elections, the two parties are at loggerheads on the issue of UCC. As per PTI, while the CPI(M) announced that it would organise an anti-UCC seminar, the Congress-led UDF said it would hold a 'Bahuswaratha Sangamam' (roughly translated as a meet to defend pluralism) on July 29 in protest against the implementation of UCC.

The CPI(M) had invited the IUML, but the Congress ally rejected the Left party's overtures to take part in its seminar. According to PTI, the IUML had said that the Left party was trying to create ''conflict'' and ''division'' by not inviting the Congress.

'Club Of Chaudharis': Owaisi Slams UCC And Opposition Unity

Meanwhile, AIMIM chief and Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi voiced strongly against the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code. Owaisi also took a jibe at the opposition front and said that they must decide to not follow the agenda set by the BJP.

Speaking on whether he has any issue with opposition parties not inviting him for the mega meet on July 17, he said, "You have not invited our Telangana CM to the meeting. He is not an ordinary person but a major player in politics."

"Our party will oppose UCC...If you (opposition parties) want to defeat BJP then you have to show the difference that you will not follow the agenda set by BJP. They (opposition parties) are a club of big 'Chaudharis'," he told ANI.

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