The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's endorsement of a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and has emphasized the need to eliminate discrimination against women through its implementation in India.
File Photo/AFP
The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pitch of a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and has emphasized the need to eliminate discrimination against women through its implementation in India.
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Alok Kumar, the working president of VHP, expressed support for the Prime Minister's stance, citing Article 44 of the Constitution, which allows the government to work towards formulating a UCC for the country. Kumar also highlighted that the Supreme Court has emphasized the significance of having a uniform civil code in various cases.
Questioning the existence of separate civil codes when other areas of law such as criminal law, contract law, commercial law, and banking law are already uniform, Kumar criticized opposition parties and Muslim groups who have objected to the UCC proposal. He expressed surprise that elected representatives have not fully adhered to the Constitution in this matter over the past 75 years.
Acknowledging the historical context of practices like polygamy, Kumar emphasized the need for change in the present time. He stated that every woman has the right to live with dignity and be treated equally. Kumar called for the elimination of discrimination against women in the UCC and advocated for universal rules for divorce (talaq) and maintenance for women, similar to practices in other religions.
The VHP leader believes that implementing the UCC will bring the country into the present from a past that dates back 1,400 years. (PTI)