Asaduddin Owaisi Criticizes Uttarakhand’s Uniform Civil Code
Asaduddin Owaisi, the President of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) and Member of Parliament from Hyderabad, has voiced strong criticism against the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) that the Uttarakhand government plans to implement. Owaisi expressed his concerns on social media, stating that Muslims in India are being treated as “untouchables.” He highlighted that 15 Muslim families in Chamoli, Uttarakhand, are facing a boycott, with local traders threatening that Muslims must leave by December 31. Additionally, landlords renting to Muslims face a fine of Rs 10,000.
Owaisi questioned, “Don’t the Muslims of Chamoli have the right to live with equality and respect?”
Political Reactions
Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and Congress leader Harish Rawat also criticized the UCC, calling it a promotional tactic by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. Rawat argued that the UCC lacks substance and is used to boost Dhami’s political stature. He pointed out that despite being in power for a decade, the BJP has not implemented the UCC until now.
Details of the UCC Bill
The UCC bill, recently submitted by the UCC Rules and Implementation Committee chairman Shatrughan Singh, covers laws on marriage, divorce, succession, and live-in relationships. It mandates registration of live-in relationships, bans child marriage, and standardizes divorce processes. The bill ensures equal property rights for women of all religions and sets the marriage age at 18 for women and 21 for men. Marriage registration is mandatory, and unregistered marriages will be invalid.
Doubts Revealed
Asaduddin Owaisi -: Asaduddin Owaisi is an Indian politician and the President of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM), a political party that primarily represents the interests of Muslims in India.
Uniform Civil Code (UCC) -: The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) is a proposal in India to replace personal laws based on the scriptures and customs of each major religious community with a common set governing every citizen. It aims to ensure that all Indians are treated equally under the same set of secular civil laws.
Uttarakhand -: Uttarakhand is a state in northern India known for its Hindu pilgrimage sites and natural beauty, including the Himalayas.
Chamoli -: Chamoli is a district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is known for its scenic beauty and is part of the Garhwal Himalayas.
Harish Rawat -: Harish Rawat is an Indian politician who has served as the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand. He is a member of the Indian National Congress party.
BJP -: BJP stands for Bharatiya Janata Party, which is one of the two major political parties in India. It is known for its nationalist policies and is currently the ruling party in India.
Shatrughan Singh -: Shatrughan Singh is a person associated with the submission of the UCC bill in Uttarakhand. Not much detailed public information is available about him in this context.
Live-in relationship registration -: Live-in relationship registration refers to the legal process of officially recognizing a couple living together without being married. This can provide certain legal rights and protections to the couple.
Child marriage -: Child marriage is a practice where children are married before they reach adulthood. It is illegal in India, and the UCC aims to ban it completely.
Equal property rights for women -: Equal property rights for women mean that women have the same legal rights as men to own, inherit, and manage property. This is an important step towards gender equality.
