Debate over uniform civil code escalates

Amid political storm over Article 370, Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh on Friday stoked yet another controversy by advocating an open debate on the uniform civil code.

"There should be an open debate on common civil code and the Article 370," said Singh, who was on a day's trip to Dehradun to thank the people of Uttarakhand for giving their mandate to the Bharatiya Janata Party in all the five Lok Sabha seats.

The minister also said the council of ministers would be expanded and representation would be given to all those states which have been left out so far.

Jitendra Singh, minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office, kicked off a controversy this week after he pitched for a debate on Article 370 that provides special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Article 370 disallows people from outside Jammu and Kashmir to buy land or seek government jobs in the state, and provides for other special privileges to the state.

Significantly, the Article 370, Ayodhya issue and uniform civil code are the three major contentious issues of the Sangh Parivar which keep coming again and again.