By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, July 14: The Catholic Church of Meghalaya (CCM) has submitted a petition to the Law Commission of India opposing the Centre’s proposed move to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC).
In a petition submitted to the Commission on July 12, Archbishop of Shillong, Rev Victor Lyngdoh said, “We are in a country that respects unity in diversity and believes that India is a secular country. It is a country that permits personal laws on marriage, divorce, inheritance, properties etc. But the public notice issued on June 14, 2023 by the Law Commission regarding the enforcement of the UCC is a serious concern to us.”
The Archbishop said they would like to raise the objections to the implementation of UCC since personal laws that are flowing from customs, traditions and practices attached to religious beliefs cannot be distorted or annihilated by the introduction of the UCC.
“We strongly convey our displeasure that the beliefs, customs and traditions of “one religion” be imposed on other religious customs or religious beliefs through the UCC. The Article 25 gives every religious group the right to manage its own affairs,” he said.
Rev Lyngdoh also pointed out that under the Constitution of India (Article 341, 342 and the Sixth Schedule) special provisions have been made to empower tribal communities. The introduction of UCC will destroy those special rights and privileges given to such tribal community members.
It may be mentioned that Archbishop of Tura Rev Jose Chirackal, Bishop of Nongstoin Rev Wilbert Marwein and Bishop Elect of Jowai Rev Ferdinand Dkhar are joined signatories to the petition.
Meanwhile, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of India said it stands united in its decision to oppose the move to implement the UCC which is a direct interference and infringement upon their religious practices and culture.
“We abide by the rights which the Constitution of India provides through Article 25 which states and guarantees the freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practice and propagate any religion; and in Article 29(1) of the Constitution of India which states that any section of the citizens residing in the territory of India or any part thereof having a distinct language, script or culture of its own shall have the right to conserve the same,” PCI administrative secretary, Rev K Lalrinkima said.
Rev Lalrinkima said that India is a land of diverse with multiple cultures that have existed through the ages and we are proud of this unity in diversity. “However, the implementation of UCC at this juncture may affect the oneness that we stand tall as a nation, having distinct languages, traditions, scripts and cultures. Therefore, we feel that enactment of the UCC will hamper the rights enshrined to us by the Constitution of India,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Khasi Jaintia Christian Leaders Forum (KJCLF) said that all communities and religious traditions have their own codes of accepted and established practices concerning, marriage, divorce, property managements, inheritance and so on, while some communities have different variations within one tradition.
“Therefore it is not possible to enforce one uniform civil code panning across this wealth of accepted and established practices across the country,” it said.
The KJCLF further observed that in specific societies like that of the Khasis of Meghalaya, it will be a danger to the very existence of the Khasi people, their lineage and customs as the enforcement of the uniform civil code will result in the outrageous and unacceptable eradication of the matrilineal custom of lineage unique to the Khasi people.
“The country is now in crucial need for practicable implementations of programs that will break the existing economic and social barriers and the promotion of peace and justice,” it said.