Guwahati, May 14 Congress MP from Dhubri in Assam, Rakibul Hussain, on Thursday said the Congress was not opposed to the principle of a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), but questioned the manner in which it was being projected and implemented.
Speaking to reporters on the issue of the proposed UCC in Assam, Hussain said the idea of having a common civil law was not entirely new and recalled that the matter had been discussed even during the tenure of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Constitution architect B.R. Ambedkar.
He said Ambedkar, while serving as Law Minister, had spoken about the need for uniformity in certain civil laws and had emphasised the broader principle behind such reforms.
“We need to examine the intention and the framework behind the UCC. The debate should not be reduced to slogans alone,” Hussain said.
The Congress leader maintained that several communities, including tribal groups and minorities, had their own customary practices and social systems, which needed to be carefully considered before introducing any uniform legislation.
He also referred to inheritance and property rights, stating that many Muslim families in Assam already provide property rights to daughters and women through established social and religious practices.
Hussain alleged that the BJP and the Assam government were attempting to create confusion by portraying the Congress as completely opposed to the UCC.
“The All India Congress Committee has not rejected discussions on legal reforms. But there has to be clarity on what exactly is being proposed and how it will impact different communities,” he said.
The Dhubri MP further accused the BJP of using the UCC issue for political polarisation ahead of elections.
The remarks came amid an intensifying political debate in Assam over the proposed implementation of the Uniform Civil Code by the government led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The BJP has been strongly backing the move, while opposition parties and several organisations have raised concerns over its possible impact on cultural and religious practices.
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