Accusing the Opposition parties of giving a “communal twist” to the debate on Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said the Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre would not allow multiple sets of laws for the citizens of the country, as the “uniformity and consistency” in civil laws was the need of the hour. “We will not let the country run like this,” Mr. Singh said.
The senior BJP leader was addressing a rally at Balesar in Jodhpur district as part of the ruling party’s outreach campaign to mark the completion of nine years of the Narendra Modi government. Mr. Singh said the Law Commission’s exercise was in accordance with the Directive Principles of State Policy enshrined in the Constitution. No politics should be allowed in the matter, he said, while holding the Opposition parties responsible for “dividing the society”.
“We are going to fulfil the promise made in Article 44 of the Constitution... Is there anything wrong in our concept of Ek Desh, Ek Vidhan (one country, one legislation),” Mr. Singh asked, while calling upon the people to extend support to the BJP’s plans to implement the UCC.
“The minority communities in our country are completely free to follow their religious practices. But I can say with conviction that no person will be allowed to marry as many times as he wants,” Mr. Singh said. He affirmed that the government’s action was aimed at safeguarding the honour of women and bringing safety and security to them.
Mr. Singh said the BJP was the only party in the country which was doing what it had promised in its manifestos for all Lok Sabha elections in the past. “The promises for abolition of Article 370 and construction of a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya have been fulfilled. The magnificent temple will be opened to the public after January 24. Now it is the turn of the UCC,” he said.
The Defence Minister said the nation had gained “strength and respectability” on international platforms under the BJP rule and the people listened carefully when the Prime Minister and other leaders went abroad and said something. Moreover, no one could level corruption charges against any Minister in the nine years of the Modi government, he said.
