CPM kicks off seminars on UCC in Kerala, Yechury says only meant to deepen polarisation

Yechury quoted from the Law Commission report of 2018 to lay out the CPI(M)’s stand on a UCC. The Law Commission had concluded: “UCC is neither necessary nor desirable at this stage. Most countries are now moving towards recognition of difference. Mere existence of difference does not imply discrimination, but is indicative of a robust democracy.” Yechury said: “The CPI(M) endorses this position and upholds that this understanding must prevail in the country.’’

The CPI(M) general secretary also said that the party does not believe that mere uniformity is equality. “The party steadfastly champions not only gender equality between men and women, but equality of all human beings, irrespective of caste, creed or gender. But in order to achieve that equality, any reforms in the personal laws… must be undertaken in consultation with specific communities and the democratic participation of all,” he said.

With the CPI(M) taking the lead on the issue in Kerala, in line with its aggressive wooing of the Muslim community in the state, the Congress has tried to put it on the mat by saying that one of its foremost leaders, E M S Namboodiripad, had backed a UCC in the wake of the Shah Bano row dealing with the rights of Muslim women.

Yechury said that any effort to impose uniformity would tear the social fabric of the country. “There are 11 provisions in the Constitution recognising the plurality of different sects of people. All these provisions exist as law, as a recognition of the plurality of the country.”

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi backing a UCC while speaking to his party workers – arguably his first such reference, after nine years in power – Yechury said what the government was proposing was far from clear. “It is only meant to sharpen communal divide, not to achieve any uniformity,” he said.

Yechury went on to talk about the Nagaland government’s claim that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had assured them that tribals (many of whom are Christians in the state) would be exempt from the law, and the belief that Sikhs and Parsis too would be left out. “Then, for whom is this UCC meant? The actual purpose is only to sharpen the communal divide between Hindus and Muslims and make political gains in the general elections of 2024.”

The CPI(M) general secretary said that the BJP’s intentions were also suspect given the measures its governments have taken in recent years, including against “love jihad”, bringing interfaith marriages under scrutiny, laws in the name of cow protection and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Yechury said all these, plus the scrapping of the special status of Muslim-majority Jammu and Kashmir, were targeted at a particular community.

Accusing the BJP of trying to convert India into “an intolerant fascist Hindutva rashtra”, Yechury said this cannot happen under the Constitution as it exists now. “That is why the four pillars of the Constitution, secular democracy, economic sovereignty, federalism and social justice, are being attacked.”

The CPI(M) leader also referred to the ongoing Manipur violence, asking why had the PM not said a single word on it. “What does it mean, letting the conflict continue? A larger design to change the character of the country?”

Earlier, the CPI(M) had invited Congress ally IUML too for the seminars. However, the IUML had backed out, saying it could not participate unless its allies were also called. The Congress and IUML have planned their own meetings on the issue.