Triple talaq Bill passed, BJP MP brings up need for Uniform Civil Code

Read | The women behind instant triple talaq petitions: ‘…no other woman’s life will be ruined now’

Pointing out that Article 44 of the Constitution lists UCC as one of the directive principles of state policy, Dubey said the government should initiate measures to bring in the Code. He said UCC will do away with the need to make laws such as the one banning instant triple talaq. “We have one IPC and once CrPC. If CrPC is the same for everyone, why can we not have a Uniform Civil Code,” the BJP member asked.

UCC has been a top agenda for the BJP over the years and was listed in the party’s manifesto for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. “BJP believes that there cannot be gender equality till such time India adopts a Uniform Civil Code, which protects the rights of all women, and the BJP reiterates its stand to draft a Uniform Civil Code, drawing upon the best traditions and harmonizing them with the modern times,” the manifesto stated.

In other matters brought before the House, BJP MP from Kaushambi, Uttar Pradesh, Vinod Sonkar called for setting up special courts to try bureaucrats booked in corruption cases. “There are special courts to try cases against politicians. Usually cases against politicians are not of very serious nature but names of bureaucrats come up in corruption cases. So there should be a special court for trying them,” Sonkar said.

Dilip Saikia, BJP MP from Mangaldoi, Assam, urged the government to bring in a national population policy immediately, contending that there has been an increase of 3 lakh in the population in his constituency between 2014 and 2019. He also said Bengali-speaking Hindus in his constituency are getting notices from the foreigners tribunal in Assam, which should be stopped. “Where will Hindus go? The government should take steps to see that Hindus live in this country,” Saikia said.

Congress’s Suresh Kodikunnil urged the government to “extend a formal invitation to Pope Francis”. Pointing out that diplomatic relations between India and the Vatican were established in 1948, soon after India’s independence, Suresh, MP from Mavelikkara, Kerala, said, “The Pope is eagerly looking forward to visiting India and other neighbouring nations.”