Tura, July 12: The Garo Baptist Convention (GBC) on Wednesday expressed concern over the Central Government’s proposal to enact the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) pointing out that it would jeopardize the unique culture of the Garos as well as impact various other communities in the country.
An appeal in this regard was on the same day dispatched to the Member Secretary, Law Commission of India in New Delhi with intimation to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and the National Churches Council of India.
The GBC in its appeal pointed out that the enactment of the UCC would affect Garo Baptist Christians of Meghalaya, who have a special privilege under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to flourish, propagate and preserve the age old cultural, customary and social heritage, as well as those from neighbouring Assam.
“The UCC could lead to homogenization of laws which would not be keeping with India’s multicultural ethos and constitutional given privileges. This, we perceive, is contrary to the constitutional given privileges,” it said.
It also pointed out that Garos maintain a matrilineal society where grooms move in with the bride’s family after marriage and inheritance comes through the mother and the children bear their mother’s surname.
Keeping all these in view, the Convention said that it would neither be desirable nor essential to introduce the UCC and requested that the same be not enacted in the interest of the common good of the Garos in particular and all communities in general.