Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent pitch for the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) has sparked a wave of criticism from opposition parties, with many accusing him of using the issue to divert attention from other pressing matters such as unemployment and the ongoing violence in Manipur.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram criticized PM Modi’s comparison of a family and the nation to justify the UCC. He argued that the comparison was flawed and that a UCC cannot be forced upon the nation. Congress general secretary K C Venugopal also attacked the Prime Minister, stating that he was using the UCC issue to divert attention from real issues like unemployment and the situation in Manipur.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), a ruling party in Tamil Nadu, also slammed PM Modi’s remarks. DMK leader TKS Elangovan suggested that the UCC should first be applied to Hindus and that every person, including Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, should be allowed to perform pooja in any temple in the country.
AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi went a step further, accusing the BJP of using the UCC issue to target and humiliate Muslims. He challenged PM Modi to abolish the Hindu Undivided Family law, which he claimed was causing the country to lose ₹3064 crores every year.
State minister and senior JD(U) leader Vijay Kumar Chaudhary alleged that by touching upon the UCC, PM Modi was aiming at communal polarization. RJD leader Manoj Jha warned the Prime Minister against using such issues as an instrument of “dog-whistle politics.”
Despite the criticism, PM Modi has stood firm on his stance, arguing that the country cannot run on two laws and that the UCC was part of the Constitution. He accused the opposition of using the issue of UCC to mislead and provoke the Muslim community.
As the debate over the UCC continues to heat up, it remains to be seen how this issue will play out in the political landscape of the country.
