BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh has become the latest BJP-ruled state to be actively considering implementing the Uniform Civil Code. Addressing a gathering of tribals in Barwani district on Thursday, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, “I’m of the firm view that UCC should be implemented across the country.”
“Time has come for implementation of the UCC and one wife norm for everyone. Why should there be two sets of legislations/laws in the country. In Madhya Pradesh, I’m forming a committee (to study and implement UCC) and one marriage norm for everyone,” Chouhan said, while addressing the PESA Act new rules (implemented recently in MP) awareness event.
Interestingly, the stage of event from which the CM made the announcement, had among others, state’s animal husbandry minister Prem Singh Patel, who officially has four wives, as declared by him in his poll nomination affidavit filed during 2018 assembly elections.
Many BJP-ruled states, including Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Assam and Karnataka, have either formed committees for implementation of UCC or have supported the idea to implement it. The announcement suggests that the BJP is likely to make UCC a big issue ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha polls and MP elections due next year.
Recently when asked about several BJP-ruled state governments promising UCC, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had accused the BJP of just raising the issue for political advantage ahead of elections.