Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Congress, BSP and NCP stayed away from a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Committee meeting held on Monday to gather political parties' suggestions on the proposed legislation.
The meeting was convened by the UCC Committee at the RCVP Naronha Academy of Administration and Management. Only ruling party BJP and CPIM turned up before the meeting chaired by UCC member Shatrugan Singh.
BJP General Secretary Rahul Kothari welcomed the UCC move and pitched for registration of all marriages. He requested monitoring of NRI marriages so that cases of desertion of wives in foreign lands could be contained. Demanding equal rights to boys and girls in properties, he said there should be a uniform provision in the bill for handing over properties.
The right to adoption should be uniform. An adopted child should get rights akin to a biological child.
Pitching for uniform maintenance, he said that sometimes elderly people are left to their own fate by their children. In such cases, the transfer of property should be cancelled and the maintenance amount should be deducted from the salary of their children. There should be a special fast-track set-up to solve family disputes.
Hiding of facts during marriages should be dealt with in a strong manner.
CPIM State Committee Member PV Ramchandran said the country is faced with much bigger issues such as inflation and unemployment, and UCC is not required at the present time.
He stated that the Centre adopted the route of states to implement the UCC as it could not bring it directly. Talking about diversity in culture, he said UCC is akin to snatching the rights given by the Constitution.
Taking on the Centre, he said the NEET exam could not be held properly and talks are being held to implement UCC. He voiced concern that UCC may adversely affect tribals and Dalits.
Suggestions made during the meeting:
Registration of all marriages.
Monitoring of NRI marriages to curb cases of wives being deserted abroad.
Equal property rights for boys and girls.
Uniform provisions for transfer of property.
Uniform adoption laws.
Rights for adopted children at par with biological children.
Uniform maintenance provisions for elderly parents.
Cancellation of property transfers and deduction of maintenance from children's salaries in cases of neglect.
Special fast-track courts to resolve family disputes.
Strict action against concealment of facts during marriages.
