Congress today warned against provoking "unpleasant divisions" by reopening sensitive issues after a Union minister called for an "open debate" on Article 370 and Uniform Civil Code.
Party spokesperson Shashi Tharoor said debates do happen but "that does not imply a license to reopen everything that can tear the nation" and noted that Uniform Civil Code is a "sensitive issue".
"...Should you be provoking unpleasant divisions and bitterness in society just after elections... Should you be re-opening such sensitive issues...
"There are many communities which have personal laws like the Sikhs and Christians apart from Muslims," Tharoor said wondering whether the country is going to ask all communities to accept laws of one community.
He said when such issues were raised by some BJP leaders in the run-up to Lok Sabha polls, Modi disapproved of it and had termed them as "distractions".
The Congress spokesperson's remarks came after Union minister Radha Mohan Singh said in Dehradun that there should be an open debate on Article 370 and common civil code.
"There is no harm in having an open debate on issues like Article 370 and a common civil code. Why should we shy away from weighing their pros and cons?" said the Agriculture Minister in reply to a question.
His remarks came soon after a raging row over Article 370 triggered by his ministerial colleague in PMO Jitendra Singh.
Another Union minister Rao Inderjit Singh today said a controversy is "unnecessary" at a time when the new government is yet to take over completely.
