UCC bill: Uttarakhand test lab for 'Hindutva Iran', says Congress MP Karti Chidambaram
NEW DELHI: Congress MP Karti Chidambaram hit out at the BJP on Thursday over the passage of the Uniform Civil Code bill in Uttrakhand, alleging that they are entering private spaces of people and the hill state "is the test lab for Hindutva Iran."
The Uttarakhand Assembly passed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bill on Wednesday, which may serve as a template for other BJP-run states to enact similar legislation.
The bill also mandates the registration of live-in relationships. Children born of live-in relationships will be considered legitimate and deserted women will be entitled to maintenance from their partners.
The bill effectively bans polygamy and 'halala' practices among a section of Muslims. Marriages, though, can be solemnised through separate rituals, like saptapadi, nikah, and anand karaj, followed by different communities.
In a post on X, Karti Chidambaram said, "Uttarakhand is the test lab for Hindutva Iran."
Later, speaking with reporters outside Parliament, he said the UCC as a concept is good but in order to bring it, one must have wide-ranging consultations. It must be there to remove anomalies that are there in all religions and practices.
"For example, we have something called the Hindu Undivided Family (HUF). In fact, I am a beneficiary of HUF. Would that remain in UCC or removed in UCC? In certain parts of the country, there are marriages between first cousins. In fact, in certain parts of the country uncles marry nieces. In Uttarakhand, those things are prohibited. Are we bringing out a uniform code which will remove certain practices from all religions?" he said.
They are using this to enter the private lives of people, he added.
"For example, they are saying live-in relationships be registered. So if two people decide to live in, they must go and register. Suppose they have a fight after six months and they break up. They will again have to go and say we have had a fight that we have broken up," the MP from Tamil Nadu's Sivaganga said.
This is absurd and this is exactly how theocratic states like Iran behave, he said.
"They would say on a dry day, if you have a drink in your house, a policeman can come and prosecute. Then they will go one step further and say today there is no non-vegetarian to be had. So if you eat chicken curry in your house, then again, there is a violation," Chidambaram said.
So, they are entering the realm of personal behaviour in private spaces and that is "very dangerous."
"This is how a theocratic country like Iran behaves. So if we also behave like that, this would become like Hindutva Iran. That is what I have said and also that Uttarakhand is a test lab for that," he said.