Skip to main content

Gender equality claims under UCC a disguised attempt to implement majoritarianism

NFGIO's stand on uniform civil code: UCC threatens national unity:

***
National Federation of GIO on 14th July submitted a response letter to the Law Commission of India, regarding the public notice issued by the 22nd Law Commission, soliciting views and ideas on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). NFGIO examined how the implementation of UCC will affect diverse minorities and marginalized communities in India and indicated that gender justice can be achieved within the existing personal laws, and imposing a uniform code may inadvertently harm women's rights. UCC threatens the freedom to observe religious identity and practices, abolishing gender-specific protection guaranteed under various personal laws. 
The gender equality claims under UCC disguise the attempt to implement majoritarian principles on all citizens as seen in Special Marriage Act, a supposed uniform law model, which is based on majoritarian morality allowing exceptions to customary laws, with respect to un-codified Hindu customs. The 21st Law Commission report emphasised that secularism could not contradict the plurality prevalent in the country. NFGIO inspected how absolute equality can sometimes lead to injustice. The potential implementation of the UCC by amalgamating various religious codes may force individuals to adhere to laws derived from majoritarian principles, potentially threatening minority communities.
NFGIO pointed out how the Law Commission of India previously emphasized the importance of preserving the country's pluralistic nature, but now fresh views are being sought again without proper deliberation on previous reports and recommendations. This suggests a lack of comprehensive discussion and raises doubts about the intention behind the UCC discourse, which deliberately focuses on divisive issues rather than addressing important issues that are also a part of the Directive Principles of State Policy, such as securing a basic living wage for workers, prohibition on alcohol, improving public health, or providing equal economic opportunities to all.
NFGIO analyzed that in the current situation, stirring up issues related to the UCC only serves to increase differences and create chaos, rather than contributing to the country's overall wellbeing, and demanded that the law commission contemplates its predecessor’s conclusion and respect legal pluralism in the country.

Comments

TRENDING

Will official Modi invitation to Pope include itinerary of meeting Manipur Christians, too?

  By Fr Cedric Prakash SJ*  Few will not remember Judas Iscariot and the role he played in the betrayal of Jesus! For those who don’t know or don’t remember, these passages from Sacred Scripture will help put things in perspective: "And while they were eating, he said, 'Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.' They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, 'Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?' Jesus replied, 'The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray from Sacred Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.' Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, 'Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?' Jesus answered, 'You have said so.'  (Mt. 26: 21-25)

RSS supremo Deoras 'supported' Emergency, but Indira, Sanjay Gandhi 'didn't respond'

Indira Gandhi, Balasaheb Deoras By Shamsul Islam* National Emergency was imposed on the country by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on June 25-26, 1975, and it lasted for 19 months. This period is considered as ''dark times' for Indian democratic polity. Indira Gandhi claimed that due to Jaiprakash Narayan's call to the armed forces to disobey the 'illegal' orders of Congress rulers had created a situation of anarchy and there was danger to the existence of Indian Republic so there was no alternative but to impose Emergency under article 352 of the Constitution.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah*   The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

Manipur's Meira Paibis: Inter-sectional activism, regional bias, media misconstruction

By Biswanath Sinha*  The women led movement in India is a diverse and multifaceted phenomenon that reflects the country's vast cultural, social, and political landscape. One of the most distinctive and influential women's organizations in this tapestry is the Meira Paibi of Manipur. Known as the "torchbearers," Meira (lights/torch) Paibi (holder/bearer) carved out a unique space in the annals of women's activism in India.

Amidst climate of hate, none cares to remember VP Singh, not even his family

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*   It was former Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh's birthday on June 25. He would have turned 93 on this day. A man of great idealism and conviction, VP changed the politics of power in India that became more inclusive in terms of participation and representation of the marginalised in our highest decision making bodies. 

Architects, planners, designers discuss impact of climate change on infrastructure

By Dr Mansee Bal Bhargava*  The School of Architecture and Planning at the Woxsen University, Telengana, organized a conference on Architecture & Design of Built Environment (ADoBE) on 6-7th June 2024 at the Indian Institute of Technology, IIT-Hyderabad. The larger theme of the ADoBE’24 pivoted on ‘Cities Embracing Inclusivity’. 

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.