The Uttarakhand government passed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bill 2024 on Wednesday, February 7. Uttarakhand stood as an example for many states that wished to introduce the UCC. UCC brought significant changes in various domains, including the institution of marriage, the process of divorce, and the rules governing succession.
The CM of Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami, said in the assembly that "our state made history by passing the UCC law. This is a significant opportunity that will create a common legal framework for all. I hope all other states will follow our lead. We appreciate our state's residents' support. Today, every citizen should feel proud."
Muslim perspective:
The proposed UCC brings the minimum age of marriage to 18 and 21 for Muslim women and men, which is in line with the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, and the Special Marriage Act, 1954. This turned out to be an issue for Muslims because their personal laws allow girls to marry after attaining puberty. Polygamy, halal, and iddat were outlawed in the UCC Bill.
Maulana Arshad Madani, the head of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, condemned the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bill in Uttarakhand, asserting that Muslims will not tolerate any laws contradicting Sharia law. He stated that Muslims are flexible in most matters, but not regarding adherence to Sharia. He views the UCC as a ploy to undermine religious freedom.
Hindu perspective:
The proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) brings the minimum age of marriage to 18 and 21 in line with the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, and the Special Marriage Act, 1954. This is a welcome step towards gender equality and ensuring the rights of women. The UCC also takes away the distinction under Hindu law between ancestral and self-acquired property. This means that all property acquired by a Hindu, regardless of whether it is inherited or earned through personal efforts, will be treated equally. This is a progressive move that will promote equality and justice within Hindu families.
Opposition reaction:
The Congress party expressed reservations about the bill, stating that while they were not outright opposed to it, they believed it should undergo further scrutiny and discussion before being passed. Yashpal Arya, the leader of the opposition, emphasised that there were numerous issues and ambiguities that needed to be addressed and clarified. He advocated for the bill to be referred to a select committee of the assembly, where it could be thoroughly examined and debated before a final decision is made. This stance suggests that the Congress party is not in full support of the bill in its current form and seeks to ensure that potential concerns and ambiguities are adequately addressed before it is enacted.