Dehradun: The contentious Uniform Civil Code Bill was tabled in the state legislative assembly on Tuesday by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami who termed the occasion as a 'moment of pride' adding that Uttarakhand will be the first to move towards implementing UCC.
The bill was tabled during the ongoing four-day special session of the assembly, which began on Monday. Referring to this, CM Dhami posted on X, "With the aim of giving equal rights to the citizens of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, a Uniform Civil Code bill will be introduced in the Assembly today. It is a moment of pride for all the people of the state that we will be known as the first state in the country to move towards implementing UCC."
Here are the day's updates on this big story:
- 9.40 PM
Discussion on the Uniform Civil Code Bill will continue in the Uttarakhand Assembly on Wednesday as well. - 9.30 PM
AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam: "India is a diverse country. There are several religions, castes, creeds and customs here. Bringing UCC into this country is impossible. So, BJP must have adopted this strategy to bring this state-wise...So, how is this Uniform? How is this UCC?...I think this is an election-oriented agenda. Through this agenda, they want to show the majority community that they have harassed Muslims." - 7.40 PM
All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPB) has disapproved of the Uniform Civil Code after the Bill was tabled in the Uttarakhand State Assembly. Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali, Executive Member of AIMPLB expressed his concern over the bill and opined that uniformity cannot be brought in every law. “If you exempt any community from this UCC, how can it be called a uniform code?" he added. - 6.15 PM
On the UCC Bill in Uttarakhand Assembly, Rajasthan Minister Kanhaiya Lal Choudhary says, "First of all, I would like to thank Uttarakhand CM Dhami. This was an important matter and the people of India were awaiting this. He initiated this Bill. We are making an effort to ensure that Rajasthan becomes the state after Uttarakhand (to implement the UCC Bill)...CM is in support of this. He has given directions for this, work will be done soon. This will be discussed in the current session and if the time is insufficient, it will be brought in the next session." - 4.45 PM
Speaking in the House, Education Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat said that before the formation of the UCC draft, public dialogue programs and meetings were organized across the state. In such a situation, it is ridiculous for Congress to say that they had no prior information. - 4.15 PM
Pushkar Singh Dhami government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is fulfilling the promise made by our ancestors, BJP said. - 4.00 PM
Uttarakhand Minister Subodh Uniyal enumerated the features of UCC. Speaking in the House, Uniyal said that people of all religions were given equal rights in important issues like marriage, divorce, adoption etc. - 3.15 PM
Uttarakhand Assembly LoP Yashpal Arya submitted a letter signed by Congress MLAs to Assembly Speaker Ritu Khanduri demanding the bill to be handed over to the select committee and brought back in the next session. - 3.10 PM
After the resumption of the Assembly session, the Uttarakhand UCC Bill is being discussed. While BJP MLAs called it an achievement of the government, on the other hand, Congress raised questions on the question hour. - 3.00 PM
Among the many proposals, the Uniform Civil Code Bill makes it compulsory for live-in relationships to be registered under the law. Once the proposed UCC Bill is in place, "live-in relationships" will have to get registered under the law within 1 month from the "date of entering into the relationship". To live in a live-in relationship, adults will have to obtain consent from their parents. Read More... - 2.40 PM
Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi said, "The Uttarakhand government has failed on all issues including women's safety and law and order in the state....The state government can try this as well, but BJP will still lose in Uttarakhand in Lok Sabha elections." - 2.00 PM
"The (UCC) Bill has been tabled in Uttarakhand Assembly today and it will be passed after a debate. Common (Uniform) Civil Code doesn't mean that it is anti-Muslim. It is for strengthening the country's unity. My party supports it, and it should be brought in Parliament too," says Union minister Ramdas Athawale. - 1.00 PM
AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam said, “I can't understand what is their purpose because if they are going to implement UCC then why the Uttarakhand govt exempted the Adivasis, Dalits from this Act? If Adivasis and Dalits are not included under this law then how is it going to be universalised?... By implementing UCC, they want to deprive them of their rights social rights, legal rights and other religious rights...We oppose the UCC bill…" - 12.10 PM
Congress MLAs stage protest in Uttarakhand assembly against dismissal of Question Hour, tabling of UCC Bill. - 11.45 AM
We won't abide by it (UCC Bill) if it is against the 'hidayat' (instructions) given to Muslims in the Quran. We don't have any issue if it is as per 'hidayat'," says Samajwadi Party MP ST Hasan. - 11.25 AM
"Vande Mataram and Jai Shri Ram" slogans raised by MLAs inside State Assembly after CM Dhami tabled the Uniform Civil Code Uttarakhand 2024 Bill in State Assembly. - 11.22 AM
Uniform Civil Code Bill was tabled by Pushkar Singh Dhami led Uttarakhand government. The draft was circulated to all the members of the house. - 11.00 AM
Former Uttarakhand CM and Congress leader Harish Rawat said, "The state government and the CM are very eager to get it passed and the rules are not being followed... No one has the draft copy and they want an immediate discussion on it... The Central Government is using a sensitive state like Uttarakhand for tokenism, if they want to bring UCC, it should have been brought by the central government..." - 10.50 AM
Uttarakhand Assembly LoP Yashpal Arya said, "We are not against it. The House is governed by the rules of conduct of business but BJP is continuously ignoring it and wants to suppress the voice of the MLAs based on the strength of numbers. It is the right of the MLAs to express their views in the House, during Question Hour, whether they have a proposal under Rule 58 or under other rules, they have the right to raise their voices on various issues of the state in the Assembly..." - 10.45 AM
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami arrives at the State Assembly with a copy of the UCC report. "Today the wait is ending and we are presenting it before the State Assembly today...," he said. - 10.30 AM
Dhami leaves from his residence in Dehradun with a copy of the Indian Constitution.
What happened so far?
On Sunday, the Uttarakhand Cabinet approved the final draft of the UCC, which proposes uniform civil laws for all communities in the state. Union Minister for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal said on Monday that the Uniform Civil Code is in the consultation process and being reviewed by the Law Commission of India.
Earlier, a draft of the UCC was handed over to the Chief Minister by the five-member committee headed by retired Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai. The UCC will provide a legal framework for uniform marriage, divorce, land, property, and inheritance laws for all citizens, irrespective of their religion.
The passage of the UCC Bill will mark the fulfilment of a major promise made by the BJP to the people of the state in the run-up to the 2022 Assembly polls. In March 2022, the Dhami government decided to constitute a committee to prepare a draft for the UCC.
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