New Delhi: The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) should not undermine any of the provisions in the Constitution aimed at the welfare of the tribal community, the Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram (ABVKA), an outfit backed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has said in its submission to the Law Commission. It has also requested the body to visit tribal areas.
The 22nd Law Commission had sought views from the public and religious organisations on the UCC on 14 June. Its initial deadline of 14 July has been extended till 28 July.
Last week, a delegation of the tribal welfare outfit ABVKA submitted its reservation about including tribals into the ambit of the UCC.
Speaking to ThePrint, ABVKA secretary Atul Jog said that he favours the suggestion made by Bharatiya Janata Party MP Sushil Kumar Modi, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the law, of keeping tribals out of the ambit of the UCC.
“We have suggested that the government not bring in UCC in a haste and without elaborate consultation,” said Jog. “We gathered our feedback after consulting various bodies working for the welfare of tribals. Without consensus for change, it can create a huge amount of mistrust among the community.”
“We have also asked that all provisions that are already there in the constitution, for instance customary laws, should be kept in mind. UCC should not in any way undermine it,” said Jog.
The outfit has also raised a demand for the law commission to visit tribal areas, especially those in the fifth and sixth schedule of the Constitution. “We have requested that the commission interact with tribals and the organisations working for their welfare, and understand what the tribals have to say on this. They also need to understand their customs, whether it is marriage or succession laws or others,” a senior functionary of the organisation told ThePrint on condition of anonymity.
The UCC refers to a common set of laws on marriage, divorce, and inheritance that would be applicable to all Indian citizens irrespective of religion, rather than the community-specific personal laws that presently govern such matters.
Speaking to ThePrint earlier, an ABVKA functionary had said that 730 tribes in India are protected under various constitutional provisions. “There is a tradition of early marriage among tribals. If UCC were to be implemented, it could affect a spouse’s right to inheritance. When it comes to inheritance, different practices are observed in the Northeast, in Jharkhand,” he said.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
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