KOZHIKODE: CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury inaugurated the national seminar organised by the party against the Centre's move to implement a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) at Calicut Trade Centre on Saturday evening. Thousands attended the CPM event, which saw participation from various religious and political outfits. Various Islamic organisations attended the event, cutting across their traditional political leanings. It also saw representation from Christian and Hindu community leaders. Inaugurating the seminar, Yechury said: "The BJP is consistently raising UCC as part of its communal agenda."
Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama secretary Umar Faizi Mukkam said that the BJP was raising UCC with the 2024 elections in mind and reiterated that Samastha would support any protests organized against UCC, regardless of the organiser. However, CP Umar Sullami, general secretary of Markazudawa, raised the issue of gender equality. "Is justice and equality the same? Justice should be implemented but if equality is imposed, we need to understand its consequences and think if it is practical...Would we be able to establish gender equality here," he asked. He asked if any religious or political outfit had demonstrated the practicality of gender equality. "We need to think if it is practical and at the same time ensure that justice is not denied to anyone," he said. Fr Joseph Kalarickal of Thamarassery diocese also raised the issue.
‘UCC meant to sharpen communal polarization’If the claim that the UCC is especially for ending discrimination against women while executing personal laws is true, then those in power should first take action to correct the errors in these personal laws. We need to welcome the actions for ensuring gender equality,” Kalarickal said. “This UCC is a slogan that is meant to sharpen communal polarisation and not to actually achieve any uniformity at all. It is to be used as a political tool by BJP,” Yechury said. Yechury pointed out that the UCC is being raised with a view to the 2024 general election to sharpen Hindu-Muslim polarisation.
Yechury said the suspicion that this is for polarisation becomes stronger based on the background developments that have taken place in the past few years, including enactment of laws targeting a particular community, the abrogation of Article 370, the dissolution of Jammu & Kashmir state, etc. He further stated that the comment by the Prime Minister, singling out ‘two laws’ when there are multiple differences, strengthens the suspicion that this is actually a “weapon for communal polarisation to be used for electoral and political purposes in the 2024 elections”. Yechury emphasised the need for any reforms in personal or customary laws, in any community or sections, to be undertaken in consultation with specific communities and by ensuring democratic participation of all, including men and women.
He stated: “Any superimposition of any order is something that the CPM relentlessly opposes and will continue to oppose.” Among the attendees were Samastha’s central Mushavara member PM Abdussalam Baqavi, Kerala Haj Committee chairman and Kerala Muslim Jamaat state vicepresident C Muhammed Faizi and Kerala Muslim Jamaat state secretary N Ali Abdullah. The event was presided over by organising committee chairman and Kendra Sahitya Akademi member K P Ramanunny. LDF leaders including CPM state secretary M V Govindan, CPM Rajya Sabha MP Elamaram Kareem, Kerala Congress (M) chairman Jose K Mani and LJD state president MV Shreyams Kumar were among those who took part in the event.
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