Uniform Civil Code was not always on BJP's agenda

As the ruling BJP has been strongly pushing for the implementation of Uniform Civil Code (UCC) across the country, it has become a contention between the Centre and the Opposition parties.

Although UCC is now one of the main agendas of the BJP, it has not always received such prominence in its election manifestos in the early days.

Here's what BJP's stand on UCC has been in the past years, as reported by The Indian Express.

The BJP, which came into existence in 1980 and contested its first Lok Sabha polls in 1984, did not have UCC in its election manifesto then. As the party could win just two seats in the election, BJP later in the mid-eighties decided to include three significant issues - UCC, abrogation of Article 370 and Ram Temple in Ayodhya - on its list of agendas.

Also read: Uniform Civil Code | What kind of uniformity, whose code?

Call for UCC got stronger

BJP's call for UCC turned stronger in 1985 after the Shah Bano case. The case was significant as the SC had given alimony to a Muslim woman but the central government had reversed the judgement with a law in 1986. This development made the BJP and the RSS push for UCC even more aggressively.

"Instead of moving towards a uniform civil code as envisaged in the Directive Principles of our Constitution, the Bill (on Shah Bano) has put the country in a reverse gear by sealing off a section of people from joining the national mainstream," the RSS had stated.

It was then that the BJP in its 1989 election manifesto prominently mentioned UCC and promised to, "appoint a Commission to examine the various personal laws in vogue in the country–Hindu Law, Muslim Law, Christian Law, Parsi Law, Civil Law etc. and to identify the fair and equitable ingredients in these laws, prepare a draft with a view to evolve a consensus for a uniform Civil Code.”

In 1991 general elections again, the BJP said that it would appoint a Law Commission to discuss various civil laws to come up with a "Common Civil Law for the whole country ti give the citizens a feeling of unity and brotherhood".

Also read: Fresh consultation needed over Uniform Civil Code, says Law Minister

The BJP remained adamant on its stand on UCC in the following years as it had tabled a resolution in the Parliament in 1993 seeking a Commission for framing a law on it. However, the resolution was not adopted. Late BJP MP Bachi Singh Rawat in 1996 had also introduced a private member Bill - Uniform Marriage and Divorce Bill - in the Parliament, but it also could not see light of the day.

As the RSS's Akhil Bhartiya Karyakari Mandal passed a resolution in 1995 demanding the members of Parliament to enact law on UCC, the BJP's 1996 poll manifesto read, “We will adopt a Uniform Civil Code which will be applicable to every community and foster a common Bharatiya identity, apart from ensuring gender equality. Regressive personal laws will cease to have legal validity.”

Change in stand after NDA formed

The BJP continued its efforts to implement UCC till 1998, but things changed after it came to power with NDA coalition. The party in 1999 kept itself away from issues like UCC, Article 370 and Ram Temple - the same agendas that the BJP had earlier pushed for vehemently.

Though right-wing parties like VHP stuck to the demand for UCC, the BJP still refrained from raising the issue in 2004 Lok Sabha elections.

Again, back to UCC

However, the trend changed again in 2009 when L K Advani became the BJP's prime ministerial face. "We will set up a Commission to draft a Uniform Civil Code, drawing upon the best traditions and harmonising them with the modern times. The Commission will also study reforms towards gender equality in other countries, including Islamic countries," the party's manifesto had said.

Since then the BJP continued on its push for the implementation of UCC, even after Narendra Modi became the PM in 2014.