UCC push political ploy before polls, needs extensive consultations: NCP

The Sharad Pawar-led NCP on Wednesday said broaching the issue of a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) ahead of elections was a political ploy and that such decisions should not be rushed through.

"We have neither supported nor opposed UCC. We are only saying that such a big decision should not be rushed through," NCP working president Praful Patel told reporters here after a series of meetings of the party's various wings.

Patel's remarks came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a strong pitch for UCC and wondered how a country can function with dual laws that govern personal matters. He also accused the Opposition of using the UCC issue to "mislead and provoke" the Muslim community.

 

The NCP working president said, "If any law is to be brought for common good, it should not be rushed through. There should be proper discussion."

Patel said if the UCC was being brought as an agent of social change, there should have been extensive consultations on the issue.

"In this case, the Law Commission kept aside the previous recommendations and sought fresh consultations within a short period. This appears to be an attempt to rush things through," he said.

"Suddenly, after nine-and-a-half years the government is now talking of UCC, this is a political ploy keeping in view the upcoming elections," Patel said.

The NCP working president said that India was a diverse country where different religious communities follow their personal laws and social conventions and stressed on the need to hold extensive consultations on the issue.

Patel said even the NCP has not formed an opinion on the UCC as it would like to consult various groups and study its implications.

"I could understand if this code was for one particular community, but we would be able to make our stand clear only after consultations with different groups. Not only our political party, but others too have to hold discussions if everyone has to be taken along," Patel said.

On Wednesday's meetings of various wings of the party chaired by NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Patel said the party was mulling contesting the upcoming state elections as it seeks to increase its footprint across the country.

Another working president of the party, Supriya Sule, was also present in the meetings.

On the absence of Ajit Pawar from the meetings, Patel said these meetings convened by Sharad Pawar on Wednesday were of the national office-bearers and the women, student and youth wings of the party.

He said Ajit Pawar was a member of the National Executive and not a national office-bearer.

On Ajit Pawar's desire to become the Maharashtra NCP chief, Patel said such decisions cannot be taken overnight as the process of organisational elections was underway in the state.