Ploy by BJP? Opposition wary of latest UCC exercise by Law Commission

The BJP is hoping that Opposition parties which are positive towards the UCC may have to come out in support of it.

The Opposition is viewing the Law Commission’s latest exercise on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) as a ploy by the ruling BJP to underscore the differences within the non-BJP grouping, prompting them to react to the issue with caution.

The BJP is hoping that parties like Shiv Sena (UBT) and AAP, which are positive towards the UCC, may be forced to support the move and if it happens, and it believes that could unravel the Opposition ahead of its June 23 joint meeting in Patna.

However, no Opposition leader has picked up the issue in a big way, though parties have made cautious comments, as there is an unwritten agreement among leaders not to make controversial comments and give the BJP a foothold to attack them.

Critical comments, though moderate in nature, from the Congress and the Trinamool Congress are seen as an attempt to address the concerns of Muslim voters in their strongholds. Interestingly, Samajwadi Party (SP) leadership has not made any critical remarks but its Muslim lawmakers are vocal in opposing the move.

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"Let us talk on these matters some time later. Today it is so hot (aaj bahut garmi hai)," Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said in Patna, as reporters asked him to comment on the Law Commission's move to seek comments on the UCC.

Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray welcomed the UCC for all but asked, "would it adversely affect Hindus? If they (BJP) could not implement the ban on cow slaughter in the entire country, how can the UCC be implemented?"

NCP chief Sharad Pawar has also sidestepped a query on UCC saying there was a need for a population control law for all citizens irrespective of caste and religion. He added, according to PTI, that one needs to know whether the UCC is "targeted at a particular community" and "then we can speak (on it)".

Nitish's party leaders are recalling his 2017 letter to the Law Commission advising it to consult all stakeholders and not to hurry on the UCC while the Trinamool Congress felt that the government was fanning divisive politics out of "desperation."

Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said the latest attempt represents the Modi government's desperation for a legitimate justification of its continuing agenda of polarisation and diversion from its glaring failures.

Opposition leaders believe that the BJP wants another “divisive and polarising" issue ahead of the Lok Sabha election next year and they should not fall into the trap set by the saffron party. “Their immediate attention is to have some diversion of attention from the June 23 meeting. We have decided not to fall into it,” a senior leader told DH.