After Modi’s pitch for UCC, Farooq Abdullah cautions ‘may raise storm’

In a similar vein, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said the prime minister was “looking to escalate religious conflicts and confuse people to win (elections).” “I am sure, people will teach a lesson to the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections,” Stalin was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

The Shiv Sena (UBT), in an editorial in its mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, said, “Only opposing the Sharia law of Muslims is not the basis for Uniform Civil Code.”

On Tuesday, PM Modi, while addressing party workers in Bhopal, had hit out at the Opposition parties for “misleading” minorities regarding the UCC. “Can a family function if there are two different sets of rules for people? Will that house run properly? Then how can a country run with two kinds of laws? We have to keep in mind that our Constitution too guarantees equal rights to all people… Even the Supreme Court was in favour of a UCC,” the PM said.

The prime minister’s remark was condemned by several opposition parties including Congress which accused him of resorting to resorting to “divisive politics” to divert attention from his government’s failure on many fronts.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren hit back at the prime minister, saying, “Ask him how would he give employment first, how would he bring down inflation.” He added that PM Modi should speak on these issues first.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), meanwhile, has said it will “support UCC in principle” but it requires “wider consultation with all religious leaders, political parties, and organisations” for a “consensus”.

PM Modi’s remarks came a week after the 22nd Law Commission invited the views of the public and “recognised” religious organisations on the UCC within 30 days.