Hijab controversy: Uniform Civil Code is need of the hour, says Union Minister Giriraj Singh

Image Source : PTI (FILE)
BJP leader and Union Minister Giriraj Singh

Highlights

The Hijab ban issue has refused to die down as Muslim girls are adamant on wearing hijab to college
Muslim clerics argue that Hijab ban violates right to freedom of religion enshrined in Constitution
While BJP has stood in support of uniform rules, Congress has come out in support of Hijab

Amid raging controversy over Hijab ban in Karnataka, firebrand Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Union Minister Giriraj Singh has said that the Uniform Civil Code is the need of the hour. He said that the country needs one law that will be applicable to all communities.

"Uniform Civil Code is the need of the hour. The country is one, so there should be one law for all," he said.

A Uniform Civil Code is a common set of laws governing personal matters like marriage, divorce, succession and adoption and others, instead of allowing different personal laws for people of different faiths. The aim is to ensure equality.

The BJP government has been pushing for the law in Parliament. The Uniform Civil Code had even figured in the saffron party's manifesto for the 2019 Lok Saha elections. The party argues that Article 14 of the Constitution talks about providing for equality before the law. It says, "The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India."

BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said that this is being done to disturb the peace and harmony. "This is nothing but a part of a series which has been going on for the past few years... they don't want to see India become a world leader. This is being done for votes."

Another BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma said lashed out at the Congress and accused it of trying to divide the country. He said that the grand old party represents 'tukde tukde' gang.

"Country is struggling... with Karnataka incident. The way Congress is trying to divide the country is worrisome... it's representing 'tukde tukde' gang... they have only one goal, to repeat the situation as it was before 1947," the Assam Chief Minister said.

The Hijab row started in December end when a few students started coming to a government pre-university college in Udupi wearing Hijab. To protest against it, some Hindu students turned up wearing saffron scarves. The row spread to other educational institutions in different parts of the State, and the protests took a violent turn at some places earlier this week, prompting the government to declare three-day holiday for the institutions.