Secular India gives freedom to Muslim board to go against UCC: Shiv Sena

Mumbai: Wading into the debate over Uniform Civil Code (UCC) issue, Shiv Sena on Friday slammed the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), and said it is only opposing Law Commission’s questionnaire as India is a secular nation and had it been a Muslim country, they would have been forced to abide by the rules.

Party spokesperson Neelam Gohre told ANI that there is a need for legal discussion over the issue.

“There needs to be a change in lives of women. They (Muslim bodies) are being able to oppose the UCC only because they reside in a secular country. Had they been living in a country that followed Islamic laws, they would not dare to protest against the amendments in laws. There should be a debate on the issue and women should get justice,” she said.

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“Laws in our country are based on religion. In the past also there have been amendments to laws for the Hindu and Catholic community as and when needed. The questions is that if Christianity, Hindus sects have adopted changes in them then why is the Muslim board having problems. And I don’t think it is to hurt anyone’s emotion,” she added.

Her comments came against the backdrop of the Law Commission’s decision to invite views on the debatable UCC issue.

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), along with several other organisations associated with the Muslim community, has opposed the Law Commission’s questionnaire on the possibility of a UCC, declaring that the move amounts to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government declaring “war” on their religious rights.

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The threat of Muslim organisations to “boycott” the law commission process also comes in the backdrop of the Supreme Court hearing a challenge to triple talaq where the Centre termed the custom unconstitutional and violative of gender equality .

Accusing the government of waging “war” against the community and contending that the UCC, if implemented, will threaten the country’s pluralism, the organisations said they will start a campaign to withdraw the law commission’s move.

AIMPLB general secretary Wali Rehmani, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind president Maulana Arshad Madani and representatives of other bodies addressed a press conference where the announcement was made.