Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram (VKS) a tribal body affiliated with Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), on July 9 said that it welcomes the ‘role’ of BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law, to keep the tribes out of Uniform Civil Code (UCC). The VKS also asked the people of tribal community and representatives to write to the Law Commission with suggestions and apprehensions pertaining to safeguarding their customary practices and traditions under the UCC.
Mr Sushil Modi, in a meeting with Law Commission members and colleagues of the parliamentary committee earlier last week had reportedly said that the tribal population in the North-East and other parts of India must be kept out of UCC. He maintained that the same should be considered as the customary traditions of tribal people are very different from other religions and communities living in the country.
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Satyendra Singh, vice-president, VKS, in a letter said that many false narratives and information is making rounds in social media related to UCC which is confusing the tribal community. In such a situation, VKS wants to warn the tribal society people, especially their socio-cultural organizations and the educated classes, that, they do not need to be misled by anyone.
“Right now it is not even clear what the government is going to do. If the people of the tribal society, their organizations feel that due to this there will be any adverse effect on their customary practices and systems, then they should put their concerns directly before the Law Commission,” Mr Singh said.
The VKS has also requested the Law Commission to visit tribal areas and meet the people to understand their views and issued in depth, before submitting any report to the government.
“The Law Commission should try to understand the traditional system of tribal community on subjects like marriage, divorce, adoption, succession. It should not give the report in haste,” the VKS office bearer said adding that the RSS’s outfit will also give its suggestions or feedback when the UCC bill will come in the front.
The 22nd Law Commission of India on June 14, sought fresh suggestions from various stakeholders, including public and religious organisations, on the UCC. The 21st law commission had earlier examined the subject on UCC and solicited the views of all the stakeholders through its appeal. The previous commission has also issued the consultation paper on “Reforms of Family Law” in August, 2018.
