Owaisi opposes UCC in Maharashtra, terms it a 'Hindu Civil Code'

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief and MP Asaduddin Owaisi has launched a scathing attack against the Maharashtra government's efforts to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). According to a report by Amar Ujala, Owaisi has raised serious objections regarding the UCC questionnaire released by the state government and has termed it a 'Hindu Civil Code'. Owaisi believes that through this process, an attempt is being made to impose a specific ideology on non-Hindu communities.

During a press conference, Owaisi clarified that this initiative by the Maharashtra government is not actually a UCC. He argued that the questionnaire prepared by the government includes questions on topics like polygamy and extra-judicial divorce, but not a single question regarding the 'Hindu Undivided Family' has been included. According to Owaisi, this proves that the purpose of this exercise is not to bring equality, but to impose a Hindu Civil Code on other communities.

MP Owaisi further stated that the same method being adopted in Maharashtra is similar to the steps taken in the name of UCC by BJP governments in Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Assam, and Madhya Pradesh. He also questioned the structure of the questionnaire. Owaisi said that most of the questions are framed in a 'Yes' or 'No' format, which seems intended only to elicit a one-sided opinion. This is the reason why retired Bombay High Court judge R.C. Chavan resigned from this committee. Owaisi noted that Justice Chavan himself observed that no representative from the minority community has been included in this process.

Taking the government to task, Owaisi asked that while the government talks about implementing UCC in Maharashtra, they do not clarify what they define as 'Uniform'. He alleged that the Devendra Fadnavis government is preparing the ground to implement UCC through this questionnaire, which is not appropriate in terms of constitutional values.

Asaduddin Owaisi is the national president of the AIMIM party and the MP from Hyderabad.