UCC can't be imposed, Constitution gives people religious freedom: Prakash Ambedkar

Prakash Ambedkar. Pic/ X

Parliament cannot 'impose' the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) on citizens as the Constitution gives a person religious freedom, said Dr B R Ambedkar's grandson Prakash Ambedkar, who is the head of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), on Wednesday, reported the PTI.

In case the Uttarakhand government implements UCC, the choice will be with the people whether they want to live as per the code or as per their religion (personal law), he claimed. He also wondered if the state has the right to implement it in the first place, as per the PTI.

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Prakash Ambedkar was addressing a press conference in Nagpur.

According to the PTI, to a query on the BJP-led Centre's wish to roll out UCC across the country, Prakash Ambedkar said that Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution give a person the freedom to adopt a religious life as long as it doesn't conflict with any fundamental rights.

Besides, the government cannot 'impose' UCC unless it changes the Constitution completely, he said.

People will now have clarity over whether they want to accept UCC or follow their personal laws, he said.

Prakash Ambedkar wondered whether the Uttarakhand government has the right to bring in UCC. Even if the state implements it, people will have the choice of whether to accept it or live as per their religion, he said.

"Besides, all this is propaganda and nothing else," he said.

The Uttarakhand government on Tuesday tabled in the assembly the Uniform Civil Code bill, the first such move in any state after Independence that could be followed by similar legislation in other BJP-run states.

The hill state's small tribal community is exempted from the proposed law, which also mandates registration of live-in relationships. Children born of live-in relationships will be considered legitimate and deserted women will be entitled to maintenance from their partners.

Coming just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Uniform Civil Code, Uttarakhand, 2024 bill ticks off an important item on the BJP's ideological agenda " a common law on marriage, divorce, land, property and inheritance for all citizens, irrespective of their religion.

Prakash Ambedkar also said that the cotton sector is shrinking and demanded incentives for growers. He said VBA has prepared a document concerning the cotton and textile industry and it will be presented to the government.

The cotton and textile industry brings in more than Rs 1 lakh crore in foreign exchange and nearly 60 lakh people depend on it for livelihood. The state and central governments do not give the importance to the sector that it deserves, he said.

Prakash Ambedkar demanded that the government give the same protection to the cotton sector as the diamond industry.

He said VBA has proposed that the government give a bonus of Rs 500 per quintal to cotton farmers. Similarly, Rs 5 per quintal should be paid to cotton pickers (labourers) from the Maharashtra government's employment guarantee scheme, he said.

The proposal has been shared with the opposition block of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), he said, adding that if the government fails to act on it, VBA will implement it if it comes to power.

To a query on VBA's alliance with MVA, Ambedkar said a discussion on a common minimum programme will be held first before they proceed with seat-sharing talks. No discussion on seat-sharing has taken place so far, he said.

(with PTI inputs)