BSP not against Uniform Civil Code: Former UP CM Mayawati

Reacting to the UCC, she said, "India has a vast population who follow different religions and have different customs, lifestyles, rules and rituals right from the birth to death."

She further said that on the other hand, it is thought provoking that if a common law is made applicable to people of all religions, then it will not weaken the country but instead, strengthen it.

"It is also correct that it will create mutual communal harmony and brotherhood among the people and keeping this in mind, an attempt to frame a code that is Uniform Civil Code has been mentioned in the Article 44 of the Indian Constitution," Mayawati said.

The BSP chief further said, "The provision of imposing it forcibly is not mentioned in the Constitution of Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar and for this awareness and consensus has been considered the best, but not following it and indulging in politics of narrow interest in its guise is not right in the interest of the country, because Article 44 of the Constitution describes the effort to make a uniform civil code, but not to impose it forcibly."

She suggested that before taking any step for implementing UCC in the country, BJP should pay special attention to all these aspects.

"On this I want to say that my party is not against the implementation of UCC, but does not agree with the modalities of BJP and its government on implementing it in the country as instead of politics of welfare of all religions and people, politics of narrow interest is more visible, which is not right," she averred.

Mayawati emphasised that the government should implement it by rising above all these aspects and there should be no religious discrimination.

"If the BJP government does anything like this, then my party will adopt a positive attitude in this matter, otherwise it will oppose it," she pointed.

She said it seems that BJP and its government are blowing the issue of UCC in a bid to conceal its shortcomings and distract attention of the people.

"As I have said my party is not against the UCC, but people of different religions in the country have their own customs from birth to death and whenever a law is framed then their religious traditions and sentiments must be kept into consideration," she added.

(With UNI inputs)