Can't have uniform civil code in India, says Owaisi

Hyderabad, June 20: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday,June 20 one cannot have a uniform civil code in a pluralistic and diverse country like India.

"Would the Sangh Parivar be ready to let go of Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) tax rebates they are getting?" the Lok Sabha member from Hyderabad said, when asked if his party is in favour of a debate on uniform civil code.

"There are 16 Directive Principles in our Constitution. One of them talks about total prohibition (of liquor). Why don't we talk about it and have total prohibition throughout India because it's also mentioned as Directive Principle," Owaisi said here.

He noted there is data which says many women are being harassed or beaten by their drunkard husbands, and that one of the major causes of road accidents is drunken driving. "So, why don't we have total prohibition in India?" he asked.

Owaisi also noted that a section in Article 371 of the Constitution gives "special provisions" to Nagas and Mizos.

"Will you be taking that off?" he asked. "These are the questions which one must answer and in a pluralistic and diverse country like India, you cannot have a uniform civil code because this is the strength of India," he said.

"We celebrate our pluralism because this is the country which celebrates religion. You cannot have one uniform civil code. So, this is next to impossible in India," he said.

On whether there is a need to review 'triple talaq' and polygamy in Muslim personal law, Owaisi said, "This question has to be answered by Islamic theological 'Ulemas', experts and Muslim scholars."

PTI