SRINAGAR: National Conference (NC) treasurer and Rajya Sabha member Shammi Oberoi on Monday opposed the reported move to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in 21 states, alleging that such a step could affect the country’s religious and cultural diversity.
Addressing reporters at the party headquarters in Srinagar, Oberoi said the NC remained opposed to the imposition of a Uniform Civil Code and argued that the proposed legislation could interfere with personal laws, religious practices and traditional customs of different communities.
He claimed that India’s strength lies in its pluralistic society and diverse religious, cultural and linguistic traditions, and said constitutional safeguards relating to religious customs and personal matters should be respected.
According to Oberoi, introducing a single legal framework for all communities could undermine the country’s pluralistic character. He said the protection of rights and freedoms guaranteed under the Constitution should remain a priority.
The NC leader said his party was committed to constitutional, democratic, secular and pluralistic principles and would not support measures that, in its view, affect the rights or identities of religious and cultural communities.
Oberoi urged the Central Government to ensure wider consultations before proceeding with any legislation on the issue. He called for an all-party meeting to facilitate discussion and consensus-building and cautioned against what he described as attempts to introduce the law without broader parliamentary debate.
There was no immediate response from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to Oberoi’s remarks.