Congress, AAP, CPI distanced themselves from UCC Committee’s suggestion process: Manu Gaur (IANS Interview)
New Delhi, Jan 28 (IANS) A day after the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Uttarakhand, committee member Manu Gaur, who was a member of the UCC rules drafting committee, on Tuesday spoke with IANS about the various aspects related to the Act.
Gaur said that before the 2022 Assembly elections, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had announced that if his government was re-elected, the UCC would be implemented. The public supported him, and his government came to power. After that, in his first Cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister formed an expert committee headed by former Supreme Court Justice Ranjana P. Desai.
Other experts in the committee included former Justice Pramod Kohli, former Chief Secretary Shatrughan Singh, and Vice-Chancellor of Doon University, Surekha Dangwal.
Replying to questions, Gaur explained that the committee emphasised that the purpose of the UCC was to grant equal rights to women, as Chief Minister Dhami had mentioned during the UCC launch programme.
He said the law was intended for half of the population, namely women, who, even after so many years of independence, were still fighting for their rights and not receiving justice.
He further said: “The committee decided that the UCC would be implemented in the public’s interest. For this, public outreach programmes were conducted, and around 2.5 lakh suggestions were received through various channels. Manu Gaur pointed out that Uttarakhand’s total population is about 1.25 crore, with around 25 lakh families in the state. This means that approximately 10 per cent of the families participated in the process and provided their suggestions. This included religious organisations, religious leaders, lawyers, social organisations, and political parties (those who contested the 2022 elections). Suggestions were taken from all of them, with 7 out of 10 parties providing their input. Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and CPI distanced themselves and did not submit any suggestions.”
He mentioned that the most important issue that emerged from the public suggestions was how to resolve people’s difficulties. Based on these suggestions, the committee recommended several important changes, particularly the creation of an online web portal to simplify the processes of marriage registration and ‘will’ registration. This would reduce the need to visit government offices and save time in registering marriages, divorces, and property-related matters.”
“This database would assist the government and help resolve property disputes in the future. For example, when family heirs fight over property for years in court, having their information in the government database would make it clear who is entitled to what property, with just a click,” he added.
Manu Gaur further shared: “The suggestions were also received from various religious organisations. The Sikh community raised the question of whether their tradition of ‘Anand Karaj’ (wedding ceremony) would be affected by the implementation of the UCC. It was clarified that there would be no change in customs or rituals, but marriage registration would be made mandatory, which is necessary for foreign travel.”
He added that one of the major disputes regarding the UCC was related to property rights, especially the issue of granting daughters equal rights.
Gaur called this a major challenge in society, as Indian society is patriarchal, and many people do not want women to have equal rights in property. “However, the committee and the government aim to ensure equal rights for every individual, whether male or female,” he asserted.
Gaur explained that in Hindu society, marriage is considered a sacred ritual, whereas in other religions, it is viewed as a contract. He gave the example of the acceptance of divorce in Hinduism, stating that society accepted it when it was introduced.
After the implementation of the UCC, if a woman or man struggles for their rights after divorce, they will be able to benefit from this law. He highlighted that women previously faced difficulties after divorce, such as a lack of financial support and proper care for their children.
Keeping this in mind, the committee developed a strong legal framework that would ensure women receive justice and can claim their rights in society. Gaur claimed that the UCC would benefit women from all communities and promote equality and justice in society.
–IANS
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