SASTRA University’s School of Law kickstarted a debate on the need or otherwise of a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the country by holding a panel discussion with former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) S.Y. Quraishi, Senior Advocate Sajan Poovayya, Member of Parliament (MP) Manish Tewari, and advocate J. Sai Deepak in Chennai on Saturday.
Speaking at the event organised as part of the sixth edition of ‘Lawgical Connect’ at the University’s Chennai campus, Mr. Quraishi said: “Most of this debate, on which every child in the country seems to be an expert, is based on ignorance.” He was of the view that a national debate was taking place on a non-issue without there being even a draft UCC.
He said a majority of the people in the country had no clue about what civil rights were and yet wanting a UCC only on the basis of a shallow understanding of preventing Muslims from indulging in polygamy. “Polygamy in Islam by itself is a myth,” he said and pointed out that only one verse in the Quran refers to such practices.
