Muslim opinion is quietly consolidating against the proposed Uniform Civil Code. After other Muslim organisations spoke out against Uniform Civil Code, the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, which had initially preferred to wait to see the draft of the proposed code, has written to the Law Commission, questioning the timing of the commission’s public notice, issued on June 14, to seek comments from stakeholders on the concept of a Uniform Civil Code.
The Jamaat also expressed lack of “confidence in the Commission” to lead a discussion on the subject. “It is hard to ignore the timing of the exercise chosen by the Law Commission. With less than a year to go before the general elections, any outcome of this consultation is all but certain to cause a major political controversy, as already evident from the manner of reactions elicited by the publication of the Commission’s public notice,” the Jamaat’s vice-president, Malik Motasim Khan, said in the letter.
“The Law Commission cannot claim to be stoically unaware of the contentious nature of the issue undertaken for deliberation, as well as the manner in which certain political actors can deploy it as a lightning rod for polarization. Any serious deliberation on reform of personal laws needs to be undertaken with sensitivity and care that allows for a nuanced and impartial consideration of myriad underlying issues,” Mr. Khan said, adding, “We regret that the timing and manner of the Law Commission’s public notice do not inspire our confidence in the Commission’s ability to lead such a considered discussion.”
