BJP ally AIADMK not in favour of Uniform Civil Code

The AIADMK on Wednesday became the first BJP ally to register its opposition to the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC), saying the party has “expressed its views clearly” on the issue in its 2019 Lok Sabha election manifesto.

“Please read our 2019 election manifesto in which we have expressed our view on the issue very clearly,” party general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami told reporters here when asked to comment on the AIADMK’s stand on the UCC.

The party, despite an alliance with the BJP, had in its 2019 election manifesto, said it will “urge the Government of India not to bring any amendments to the Constitution for a Uniform Civil Code that will adversely affect the religious rights of minorities of India.”

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With AIADMK making its stand clear on the issue, almost all political parties, except the BJP, are opposed to implementation of UCC in the country. The ruling DMK and its allies have vehemently criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his statement stressing the need for a UCC in India, saying he was trying to stoke communal tensions in the country.

Responding to AIADMK’s stand, Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai said the UCC was not against any religion and expressed the hope that the BJP's alliance partner would change its stand in the future.

The AIADMK’s stand is politically significant even as Palaniswami reiterated that the party’s alliance with the BJP will continue for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. After opposing the UCC in 2019, the AIADMK supported the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in both houses of Parliament, leading to a major row in the state.

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However, the party changed its stand, apparently due to opposition, in the run-up to the 2021 Assembly election, saying it will urge the Union government to repeal the law.

Party leaders told DH that the AIADMK believes there is no reason for it to review its long-held stand that India doesn’t need a UCC as it will be detrimental to the rights of minorities.

“Already, the minority community has kept a safe distance from the AIADMK ever since 2019 following our alliance with the BJP. If we are even ambiguous on this issue, it will further alienate us from the minority communities. So, we don’t want to take any chances,” a senior leader said.

The AIADMK has also been under criticism from its own leaders for allying with the BJP, with its former minority wing head Anwar Rajaah and senior leader C Ve Shanmugam blaming the saffron party for the alliance’s loss in 2021 assembly polls.