NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi has criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent call for a "secular civil code," labeling it as mere "jumlebazi" or rhetoric. Singhvi argues that such concepts are being pushed for political gain, often just before elections.
Singhvi, who was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Telangana last week, emphasized that while the principles behind these concepts may be valid, they should be implemented through consensus.
"You cannot make grand statements from the Red Fort about policies like 'One Nation One Election' without engaging in high-level consultations first," Singhvi stated. He questioned the feasibility of a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), suggesting that calling it a "secular civil code" is a strategic move to sidestep potential challenges.
Singhvi highlighted the inconsistency in implementing such a code. "Is it reasonable to have a UCC in Uttarakhand but not in Uttar Pradesh? If it's only applicable in certain states, how is it truly uniform?" he asked. He criticized the idea of enforcing policies that might only apply in specific regions, calling it an attempt to deceive the public.
Singhvi argued that the principles of the UCC should be implemented with broad agreement and coordination among various communities. "The challenge is determining whose standards would prevail whether those of Parsis, Muslims, Hindus, or Christians. This requires significant consultation and consensus," he said.
He also accused the BJP of using "jumlebazi" to mislead the public with appealing but impractical slogans like 'One Nation One Election,' 'One Nation One Language,' and the Uniform Civil Code. According to Singhvi, the BJP’s failure to build consensus on these issues means they resort to renaming them as "secular" to fit their political agenda, without truly addressing the underlying complexities.
Singhvi's remarks follow Prime Minister Modi's recent Independence Day speech, where Modi called for a "secular civil code," criticizing the existing laws as "communal" and discriminatory. Modi argued that laws fostering division and inequality have no place in a modern society.