Tamil Nadu CM accuses Centre, says govt using UCC to target non-BJP states

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday accused the BJP-led central government of using the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) against non-BJP states, alleging that those speaking against the proposed legislation were being threatened with reiads by the central investigating agencies.

"They (BJP-led NDA at the Centre) want to impose the UCC and use it against the non-BJP states. Those opposing it are being threatened with CBI, ED, and IT raids," CM Stalin told reporters in Chennai on Thursday.

Bringing the UCC back to the front and centre of the national discourse, Prime Ministert Narendra Modi said recently the country cannot run on two sets of laws, adding that the Uniform Civil Code was in keeping with the founding ideals of the Constitution.

"Today people are being instigated in the name of the UCC. How can the country run on two (laws)? The Constitution also talks of equal rights...Supreme Court has also asked to implement the UCC. These (Opposition) people are playing vote bank politics," PM Modi had said.

The meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Law and Justice began on Monday in the Parliament to discuss concerns around the proposed Uniform Civil Code.

Earlier, in an exclusive interview with ANI, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal said, "It is the need of the hour that a law should be made by uniting and including all the people of the country."

The Union Minister said he was optimistic that the BJP would get bipartisan party support for the UCC.

"We have a full majority in the Rajya Sabha and I think there are many leaders from other parties who want the country to unite. I think many parties will support the BJP on the Uniform Civil Code. We will get cross-party support for this," the minister said.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Sunday said her party was not against the implementation of the UCC but they did not support the BJP's way of implementing it.

Addressing a press conference in Lucknow, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said, "Our party (BSP) is not against the implementation of the UCC but we do not support the way the BJP is trying to implement it across the country. It is not right to politicise this issue and forcefully implement UCC in the country.