Muslim organisation opposes UCC: Muslim organisation Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind on Monday said that it would oppose the Uniform Civil Code using 'all possible steps within the ambit of law' as it is against the religious freedom that the Constitution of India guarantees.
The organisation's remarks came days after the Law Commission kickstarted a consultation process on the UCC and sought views from the stakeholders which included recognised religious organisations and public.
In a statement released by Jamiat, it said that the demand for the UCC is a "deliberate attempt to curtail the religious freedom of citizens".
"Our Constitution is a secular Constitution, in which every citizen has been given full religious freedom, and every person has been also given the right to choose the religion of his choice, because there is no official religion for the Indian state, and it gives complete freedom to all its citizens. The demand for a UCC is nothing but a deliberate attempt to curtail the religious freedom of citizens," Jamiat said.
Resolution against UCC
The executive committee of the organisation (Arshad Madani faction) had passed a resolution on Sunday (June 18) at its executive meeting opposing the UCC.
The statement further said that Jamiat feels that the demand for UCC is an attempt to destroy the religious freedom of the people of this country. "The UCC is against the fundamental rights given in the Constitution, it is unacceptable to Muslims, and detrimental to the unity and integrity of the country," it said.
Talking about the resolution passed, Jamiat president Maulana Arshad Madani said that the issue does not concern only Muslims but also all other Indians.
"Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind cannot compromise on religious affairs and worship in any way. We will not protest on the streets but will take all possible steps within the ambit of law (to oppose the UCC)," he said.
Attempt to impose UCC
Jamiat added that India has a pluralistic society where followers of different religions live in peace and unity, and the bid to 'impose' UCC is seemingly done 'keeping a particular sect in mind to mislead the majority'.
"It is being said that this is written in the Constitution, although the second sarsanghchalak (chief) of the RSS Guru Golwalkar, himself said that 'Uniform Civil Code is unnatural to India and against its diversity. Moreover, while the UCC has been mentioned in the directive principles, the fundamental rights of citizens have been guaranteed in the Constitution," it said.
Jamiat alleged that people of 'a certain mindset' are attempting to 'mislead the majority' by quoting the UCC as part of the Indian Constitution.
"The minorities, tribes and some other communities of the country have been given freedom under the religious and social law because the identity of different religious communities and groups are associated with their religious and social rituals and customs, and this is also the basis of unity, integrity and unity of the country," it said.
For centuries, people of different religious groups and communities have been living according to their own personal laws, and in view of this, the Constitution has given citizens religious freedom, the organisation added.
(With PTI inputs)
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