New Delhi: Union Minister Giriraj Singh Saturday batted for the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), asserting that the nation won’t function properly if different sets of laws exist for Muslims and Hindus.
Hailing the Assam government’s decision to repeal the Muslim marriage and divorce act, and the recent implementation of UCC in Uttarakhand, Singh stated that separate laws for Hindus and Muslims won’t be possible as the country will cease to function properly in such a case.
“Uttarakhand brought the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), now in Assam if one law is followed by everyone then it will be beneficial. Different laws for Hindus and Muslims won’t be possible, and in that way, the country won’t function properly,” Giriraj Singh told reporters in Bihar’s Begusarai.
Assam repeals Muslim marriage act
Earlier in the day, the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led Assam government announced that the state will repeal Assam Muslim Marriage and Divorce Registration Act of 1935, which governs marriages and divorces among Muslims in the BJP-ruled state.
“On 23.2.2024, the Assam cabinet made a significant decision to repeal the age-old assam-muslim-marriage” Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act. This act contained provisions allowing marriage registration even if the bride and groom had not reached the legal ages of 18 and 21, as required by law. This move marks another significant step towards prohibiting child marriages in Assam,” Chief Minister Sarma said in a post on X.
‘Tactic to target Muslims’
Meanwhile, in a sharp reaction to the development, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) slammed the Assam government’s decision to repeal the pre-independence law, dubbing it a “tactic to target Muslims”.
Speaking to news agency ANI, AIUDF leader Rafiqul Islam said the Assam government, led by Himanta Biswa Sarma, does not have the “courage” to bring the Uniform Civil Code, hence repealing the Marriage Act.
“This Government doesn’t have the courage to bring UCC. They can’t do it. What they brought in Uttarakhand, is not UCC either…They were trying to bring UCC to Assam too. But I think they can’t bring it to Assam because there are people from several castes and communities here…BJP followers themselves follow those practices here…Elections are approaching, this is just their tactics to target Muslims,” Rafiqul said.
According to the 2011 census, Muslims make up 34 per cent of Assam’s population, standing at 1.06 crore out of a total population of 3.12 crore.
(With inputs from agencies)
