Kerala Muslim Groups To Put Up Legal, Political Fight Against UCC

With the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) on the verge of being implemented, representatives of major Muslim organizations in Kerala have decided to “fight” the proposed law legally and politically.

The organisations, led by Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), opined that if UCC is implemented, it will affect not just Muslims but others as well.

"UCC is not an issue of Muslims, it is of all people. We will unite all people against it and fight legally and politically," said Indian Union Muslim League(IUML) state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal in a meeting on Tuesday.

Senior IUML leader and MLA PK Kunhalikutty alleged that UCC is being used as a tool to divide people on communal lines.

The meeting was also attended by two factions of the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, factions of the Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Muslim Education Society, and the Muslim Service Society.

Meanwhile, the Kerala unit of Congress will be holding a meeting on Wednesday and is expected to discuss the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). The meeting will be attended by all MLAs, MPs, district presidents and top office-bearers.

Earlier on Sunday, the Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, VD Satheesan had alleged that the BJP is bringing the UCC to divide people and said that there is no need for UCC at present.

"The Law Commission appointed by the central government itself has made it very clear that there is no need for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) at present. So we are also taking the same stand that there is no need for UCC at this point in time. BJP is bringing this matter to make a split among the people," Satheesan said.

Kerala’s ruling party, the CPI(M), also criticized the Prime Minister’s pitching for the UCC in the country saying that the UCC is on the "electoral agenda" of the BJP.

"Triggering debates around Uniform Civil Code is an electoral ploy by Sangh Parivar to press their majoritarian agenda for deepening communal divide. Let's oppose any attempts to undermine India's pluralism and support reforms through democratic discussions within communities," Kerala CM tweeted.

Kerala CM's stand drew a sharp reaction from the BJP Kerala president K Surendran when he said, "CPI(M) has become a Muslim party. The latest example of this is Pinarayi Vijayan's stand against the uniform civil code."

He further alleged that the goal of the Chief Minister of Kerala is to polarise Muslims.

"Pinarayi Vijayan's goal is the polarisation of Muslims. No Muslim parent will accept a triple talaq. Likewise, no Muslim parent will accept discrimination against girls in property rights," said the Kerala BJP state president.

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