New Delhi, Jan 27 As Uttarakhand creates history by becoming the first state to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) on Monday, the contested legislation has found support from a place, least expected. Congress leader Captain Ajay Singh Yadav on Monday voiced his support for its nation-wide implementation but after taking everyone on board.
The support for UCC by Congress leader is set to raise eyebrows as the grand old party has been highly critical of the 'discriminatory and divisive' legislation, often accusing the BJP of using UCC as a political tool.
Captain Ajay Singh Yadav is a senior Congress leader and former Haryana minister. His support for the UCC is contrary to party's stand and comes just ahead of Rahul Gandhi's public rally in Madhya Pradesh.
Speaking to IANS over the implementation of UCC in Uttarakhand, he called for nationwide implementation rather than limiting it to a single state but demanded that it must be done after reaching a consensus from all political parties and taking everyone on board.
Yadav said, "Nothing should be forced on anyone. An all-party meeting should have been called on the UCC; and it should be implemented across India. If something is implemented after consulting only one state, then it is not right."
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The announcement, which marks a significant legislative milestone, will be unveiled by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami through a UCC portal at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, just ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state.
The UCC seeks to establish a uniform legal framework governing marriage, divorce, property, inheritance, and adoption laws for all citizens, irrespective of their religion.
However, senior Congress leader Kumari Selja criticised the move, labelling it as part of the BJP's "agenda to divide people."
"This is being done because elections are happening there as well as in other parts of the country. This is the BJP's agenda to divide people among themselves, and under the same agenda, they are doing such things," she had told IANS.
Uttarakhand Congress leader Ganesh Godiyal likened the UCC to the removal of Article 370 in Kashmir, asserting that the government is using the legislation to divert attention from its shortcomings.
"UCC is similar to the removal of Article 370 in Kashmir, where it was promised that prosperity would follow. The state government is using UCC to distract people from issues like unemployment and corruption," Godiyal said.
Meanwhile, the Uttarakhand government assured that the UCC rules have been carefully framed, avoiding controversial provisions regarding disputes related to personal laws.
As Uttarakhand takes this historic step, the UCC's implementation is expected to spark further debates on its impact on India's diverse social and cultural fabric.
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