SHILLONG, Jan 30: At a time when the BJP-led NDA Government seems determined to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) across the country, the NPP-led MDA Government has made it clear that they have no intention of introducing the highly contentious UCC in the state.
The NPP is a part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday said the state government is clear in its stand and that the UCC is not part of its agenda.
“We respect the secular fabric of the state and the country. We respect the identity of the different tribal communities, and we are clear that the practices of different communities must be respected,” the Chief Minister said.
Justifying the decision to reject the UCC, Sangma argued that uniform codes, as a concept where everything becomes uniform, are not feasible in India due to the presence of hundreds of tribal communities. He added that such a code would not align with the traditions and customs of these communities.
He further stated that the UCC as a concept and the UCC as a specific bill or act are two distinct aspects that should not be conflated.
“The idea of imposing every aspect of life on every community is not correct,” he said, while acknowledging that certain aspects of civil laws could be made uniform while still protecting the rights of indigenous communities.
Referring to Uttarakhand, which became the first state in India to implement the UCC while excluding tribal customs from its purview, Sangma remarked, “If a bill at the national or state level were to declare that the entire country should adopt a matrilineal system, Meghalaya would support that because we are a matrilineal society. It all depends on the content of the bill—what aspects are being made uniform and in what way.”
The UCC is meant to establish a single set of personal laws applicable to all citizens, governing personal matters such as marriage, divorce, adoption, inheritance, and succession.
Meghalaya’s neighbour Assam has shown keen interest in implementing the UCC.
