Syro-Malabar Church all for Uniform Civil Code

The Syro-Malabar Church, an influential Catholic community, today supported the BJP-led Centre's proposed move to implement Uniform Civil Code, saying such a system would help strengthen the nation and unity among the people.
The minority community made clear its stand on the controversial issue amid a debate in the country over the Modi government asking the Law Commission to examine the issue that is dear to the BJP and the sangh parivar.
Welcoming the government's initiative, the head of Syro Malabar Catholic Church, Cardinal George Alencherry, here said, "the uniform civil code would be useful for strengthening the unity of the country and its people."

However, he hoped that while formulating the code, the authorities concerned would consider laws based on traditions and conventions.
The Union government had last week asked the Law Commission to examine the issue of the implementation of Uniform Civil Code.
The Department of Legal Affairs had asked the Commission, a recommendatory body, to submit a report on the issue.

The move assumes significance as the Supreme Court had recently said it would prefer a wider debate, in public as well as in court, before taking a decision on the constitutional validity of 'triple talaq', which many complain is abused by Muslim men to arbitrarily divorce their wives.

Implementation of a common civil code is part of the BJP's election manifesto.
But the NDA, when it came to power in 1998 and 1999 and now under Narendra Modi, has kept the contentious issues, including the UCC, on the backburner.
BJP has batted for a uniform civil code and said it has been opposed due to vote bank politics despite finding a mention in the Constitution.