Within three months of taking oath, Jharkhand Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan says he has made good on his promise to “take the Raj Bhavan to the people” by visiting all 24 districts of the State and meeting with locals at all levels. As the Governor of a Fifth Schedule State, where resistance to the proposed Uniform Civil Code is growing by the day, Mr. Radhakrishnan tells The Hindu in an interview that the customary practices and ways of life of tribespeople have to be protected. Excerpts:
As the Governor of a Fifth Schedule State, you have extraordinary powers to protect the interest of Scheduled Tribe population in Jharkhand. Given this, what is your take on any form of a proposed Uniform Civil Code being implemented by the Union government?
One thing we have to understand. People are getting confused. One is that it is not a Hindu Civil Code. This is only a Uniform Civil Code. We have to see the goodness in it. What we see by experience, that makes me think about the UCC. Back when I was in Tamil Nadu, we had gone to visit a Muslim friend’s sister who was married. She had been neglected. That man had married another woman and said we could take our daughter [friend’s sister] away if we wanted or leave her there. No girl should have to live like that.
I am not against Islam. Nobody is against Islam. But you have to change. See, there were days when our women [Hindus] had no right to the property of their parents. Now it has been implemented. Not all Hindus are saying this is against our religion.
But what about how any form of a UCC could run into conflict with the customary practices of tribespeople and the special laws that were formed to recognise those practices?
Adivasis’ interest and their social environment and their living environment is important. We have special laws for that. Where we need changes, we have to accept. We have to take Adivasis also into confidence so that their basic rights are protected in their traditional ways. The traditional way of living of the tribals has to be protected. Because we have to understand the social, environmental living of the tribals. And that will be taken care of.
As far as tribals are concerned, I am saying we have to allow them to live in their own ways. Still the tribal people are living in the jungles. You can’t find fault with them. Given them some more time to realise these things. We are a democratic country. We are not an authoritarian one that somebody can impose something on anybody.
See, I am the Governor of a State with one of the largest tribal populations. I will take it up with the Centre when any specific draft comes through. We are custodians of the people and the Constitution.
So, what about the growing opposition from Adivasi bodies against the UCC? Protests are being planned, there is legitimate fear among them of losing their ways. How would you address that?
But why should that happen? I’ll tell you one thing. Do you have the draft of the UCC? Why you are getting into so much fear about that? When the draft comes, we will take it up. There is unnecessary fear I feel. There will be protection in UCC also for Adivasis because we have to understand the living and lifestyle of Adivasis separately. The Central government is not suo motu passing the UCC. The Centre will take every aspect into account. And they will do it. I am very confident of it.
