Family, Nation Not Same; UCC Can't Be Forced: Chidambaram

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Wednesday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement, drawing a comparison between a family and the nation to justify UCC.

Chidambaram further advocated that a nation is brought together by a Constitution which is a political-legal document and the UCC cannot be forced.

"The prime minister has equated a Nation to a Family while pitching for the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). While in an abstract sense, his comparison may appear true, the reality is very different. A family is knit together by blood relationships," Chidambaram tweeted.

"A nation is brought together by a Constitution which is a political-legal document. Even in a family there is diversity. The Constitution of India recognised diversity and plurality among the people of India. A UCC is an aspiration. It cannot be forced on the people by an agenda-driven majoritarian government," he added.

"PM Modi is making it appear that UCC is a simple exercise. He should read the report of the last Law Commission that pointed out it was not feasible at this time. The nation is divided today owing to the words and deeds of the BJP. A UCC imposed on the people will only widen the divisions," he added.

"PM's strong pitch for the UCC is intended to divert attention from inflation, unemployment, hate crimes, discrimination and denying States' rights. The people must be vigilant. Having failed in good governance, the BJP is deploying the UCC to polarise the electorate and attempt to win the next elections," Chidambaram further said.

PM's pitch for UCC

During the Bhopal event, Prime Minister Modi, while making a strong pitch for the UCC, said the Constitution also mentions of having equal rights for all citizens.

PM Modi also said the BJP has decided it would not adopt the path of appeasement and vote bank politics and alleged that the Opposition is using the issue of UCC to mislead and provoke the Muslim community.

Pasmanda Muslims, who are backward, are not even treated as equal because of the vote bank politics, the prime minister said.

'Pasmanda', a term for backward classes among Muslims, often finds a mention in Prime Minister Modi's speeches, at party forum as well as government events, and how the government has worked for the deprived without any discrimination.

Opposition reacts

Reacting to Modi's remark on the UCC, Congress general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal said the prime minister can say anything, but "he has to answer the real questions of this country - unemployment, price rise and Manipur issue".

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha, "We are seeing that work is being done to instigate such people in the name of Uniform Civil Code. If there is one law for one member in a house and another for the other, will the house be able to run? So how will the country be able to run with such a dual system?" Hearing the prime minister makes one feel that he is looking for occasions to make "dog whistles", he said.

In a tweet, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi said, "Will the PM end 'Hindu Undivided Family'? Because of HUF, the country is losing Rs 3,064 crores every year." On one hand, the prime minister is shedding crocodile tears for Pasmanda Muslims, and on the other, his "pawns" are attacking their mosques, taking away their livelihoods, bulldozing their homes and lynching them, Owaisi alleged.

Opposing reservations for backward Muslims, the NDA government has stopped scholarships for poor Muslims, he alleged.

"If Pasmanda Muslims are being exploited, what is Modi doing about it? Before seeking votes from Pasmanda Muslims, BJP workers should go door-to-door and apologise that their spokespersons and MLAs tried to insult our Dear Prophet," Owaisi tweeted.