Opinion The Urdu Press: Bihar Miracle

Roznama Khabrain, in its editorial on October 27, writes: “PM Narendra Modi under no condition wants his grip on Bihar election to be loosened. Talking of not discontinuing reservation, he added sentences to the effect that neither reservation would be discontinued nor would it be provided to members of other religious groups. He meant to say that the grand alliance wants to reduce the quotas of OBCs and SCs by 5 per cent each and give this reservation to Muslims and he would never allow this to happen… Modi has, by his statement, tried to retain Dalit votes coming to the NDA and send a message to the upper-caste voters that Muslims would never be given any reservation under his government.”

UCC & Alcohol

Commenting on the issue of a uniform civil code (UCC), following the Supreme Court’s diktat to the Central government to clarify whether and when it was going to enforce a UCC, the Hyderabad-based Rehnuma-e-Deccan, in its editorial on October 17, writes: “Those demanding [UCC] argue that it is necessary for national unity. But they forget whether in a country of wide diversities like India, the implementation of a UCC is possible. The framers of India’s Constitution have provided fundamental rights to all citizens… For people belonging to different religions, living according to their respective faiths has been accepted as a fundamental right. No doubt, it has been written in the Directive Principles… that the government would usher in a uniform civil code. But all constitutional experts have opined that citizens cannot be denied their fundamental rights because of what is contained in the Directive Principles. Prohibition of the use of alcohol, too, has been included in the Directive Principles… But no demand is made for it.”

The Jamaat-e-Islami’s bi-weekly, Daawat, writes on October 19: “This question has not been asked by the Supreme Court of the Central government for the first time… But giving a reply to this question is as difficult as it is easy to ask it. That’s why every government avoids taking any initiative in this matter. This is a part of the basic agenda of the BJP… If a uniform civil code is enforced, neither the Hindu Marriage Act of 1955 nor the personal laws of Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, etc would remain in existence. Everyone would be governed by a new government law, free from interference of any religion. In effect, religious life will have to be lived in a non-religious manner. How will this be possible?”

Third Defeat

Rashtriya Sahara, in its editorial on October 18, describes the Supreme Court verdict, striking down the National Judicial Appointments Commission as unconstitutional and reverting to the old collegium system, as “the third defeat of the Modi government” after the land and GST bills. “…many quarters had the apprehension that with the appointment of the judicial commission, the elements that want to impose their views and their ideology on the country would want the judiciary to be subservient to them. Such a danger has, however, been averted”.

The editor of Inquilab, writes in his signed column on October 18: “Obviously, the Modi government had found a way of appointing its chosen persons as judges of higher courts… It’s clear that the SC has given a great shock to the government and its effect would certainly be felt in the winter session of Parliament. It would feel the heat.”

Compiled by Seema Chishti