AIZAWL: Mizoram Congress on Wednesday said it strongly opposed any move to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and appealed to the people of the state to collectived oppose it.
Earlier on Tuesday, ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) and Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee (MKHC), a conglomeration of leaders of major churches have written to the Law Commission of India ojecting the implementation of the UCC in the country.
Mizoram Congress chief spokesperson and former Rajya Sabha member Ronald Sapa Tlau told reporters in Aizawl that the party president Lalsawta, who is now in New Delhi, will submit a letter objecting to the UCC to the Law Commission of India.
He said that the move to legislate the UCC should be opposed by all the people of the state as it will affect the national integrity and will result in oppression of religious minorities and minority communities.
Reacting to the contention that Mizoram will not be affected by the UCC as Article 371G of the Constitution guarantees the state assembly the right to adopt or decide any act of parliament in respect of religious or social practices of the Mizos, Mizo customary law and procedure, Tlau said that anything can happened in India under the BJP rule as it was done to Kashmir.
He reminded the people of the abrogation of Article 370, a special status for Jammu and Kashmir in 2019.
“It is imperative that all people object to it collectively in order to protect and safeguard our cultural and religious identity,” Tlau said.
Chief Minister Zoramthanga had on Tuesday wrote to the Law Commission of India that the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) is against the interest of the ethnic minorities in general and the Mizos in particular.
Zoramthanga, also the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) president, said that his party believes that UCC is in conflict with the religious and social practices of the Mizos and their customary laws that are protected by the Art 371(G) of the Constitution.
“Since the proposed implementation of UCC throughout the territory of India is in conflict with the religious and social practices of the Mizos and of their customary/personal law which is specifically protected by constitutional provision, the said proposal of the NDA government at the Centre as can be seen in the Law commission notice cannot be accepted,” Zoramthanga, who was written on his party’s behalf, had said in his letter.
The MNF is a constituent of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) and also an ally of the NDA at the Centre.
The MKHC had also written to the Union Law Commission that it strongly opposed implementation of UCC in the country.
The Committee claimed in its letter that the UCC is detrimental to the unity in diversity of Indian culture, religions and customs and is undermining the rights and privileges of the Mizos enshrined in Article 371(G) of the Constitution.
