India’s top Muslim body gets into late-night brainstorming after Modi’s uniform civil code remarks

The Muslim law board’s meeting was held virtually for about three hours and it discussed the legal aspects of the uniform civil code in the context of the prime minister’s remarks.

• Kimberly Rodrigues
• 28 June, 2023

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By: Kimberly Rodrigues

HOURS after Indian prime minister Narendra Modi made a strong pitch for a uniform civil code in the country while addressing grassroots workers of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the poll-bound central state of Madhya Pradesh, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board — India’s top Muslim body — held an emergency meeting on Tuesday (27) night.

Modi asked how a country could see two sets of laws while addressing the event and asserted that the country’s Constitution mentions equal rights for all citizens and even the top court has sought uniform laws.

He alleged that Muslims were being instigated by parties that indulge in vote-bank politics and vowed that his party would shun the path of appeasement. He also said that the practice of triple talaq (instant divorce) does injustice to Muslim daughters and ruins families and pointed out that Muslim-majority countries, including Pakistan, do not follow such practice.

According to an NDTV report, the Muslim board’s meeting was held virtually for about three hours and it discussed the legal aspects of the uniform civil code in the context of the prime minister’s remarks that are seen to focus on a topic that has always been part of the Hindu nationalist BJP’s manifestos.

The body decided to submit its take on the matter to the Law Commission, considering viewpoints of lawyers and experts, the report added.

The commission started a fresh consultation process on a uniform civil code, seeking views from various stakeholders as reports claim that the Modi government has plans to introduce a draft bill soon.

A uniform civil code refers to a set of laws that apply to everyone in the country and replaces religion-based personal laws, rules of inheritance, adoption and succession. Article 44 of the Constitution, which comes under its Directive Principles of State Policy, calls upon the State to aim for a uniform civil code throughout the country.