New Delhi/Dehradun, Feb 7 Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday welcomed the passage of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) by the state Assembly, saying this will set the stage for 'equitable treatment' of all residents in the state.
The Chief Minister said that the UCC will give equal rights to everyone and rule out any scope for discrimination against any resident, in terms of marriage, property, inheritance and divorce.
Addressing the media after the Assembly gave its nod to the UCC Bill, Dhami called it a "special day for Devbhoomi".
He said there was a long-pending demand for this, and Uttarakhand has led the nation in turning it into reality.
The UCC was passed during the Uttarakhand Assembly’s special four-day session by voice vote on Wednesday. It will now be implemented in the state. Notably, the Chief Minister had stated, soon after UCC draft was submitted on February 2, that his government will implement the law soon after its clearance in the House.
The Chief Minister also sought to clear the air about the ‘repressive’ clauses for live-in couples in the state, saying that guidelines have been adequately and clearly laid out for live-in couples.
“A live-in couple will just have to register their relationship with the concerned authority to avoid its misuse. This will help security agencies rein in criminals, who use this to cheat and deceive female partners. The live-in couple need not go intimating the neighbourhood about their relationship status,” Dhami said.
Rubbishing charges that the UCC will foment differences among communities, Dhami said the new law will go a long way in "eliminating injustice and ending discrimination especially among women".
“The UCC will eradicate bias and discrimination against women. It will mark an end to patriarchal practices that categorised women to suit their ulterior motives,” Dhami said.
He also said that it is time to "empower our mothers, sisters and daughters by treating them ‘at par’ and ending all ‘atrocities’ against them".
“Half of the population will now get equal rights,” Dhami added.
The Chief Minister also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his guidance and support that paved the way for UCC passage in Devbhoomi, the first state to do so.
Notably, the UCC Bbill will now head to Governor for his consent and after approval, Uttarakhand will become the first state after Independence to have a ‘common law for all’.
As per the UCC, a common law will apply for marriage, divorce, land, property, and inheritance for all the residents, irrespective of their religion.
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