BHOPAL — The high-level committee constituted to examine the feasibility of implementing the UCC has submitted the final draft to the state government.
Mandatory registration of live-in relationships and a share in children’s property for both parents are among the key recommendations in the UCC draft, submitted to the state government on Monday evening.
Meanwhile, various Muslim organisations in the state have formed a Joint Action Committee (JAC) to oppose the UCC implementation in the state.
The JAC met in Bhopal on Sunday and protested against the proposed law, calling it against the prevailing system and diversity of the country.
The draft, based on the Gujarat model, includes provisions relating to marriage, maintenance, divorce and the property rights of adopted children.
It makes registration of live-in relationships mandatory. If a live-in relationship is not registered, it will be considered a crime.
A major recommendation relates to succession law, under which, along with the mother, the father will also be entitled to a share in the property of a son if the latter dies.
Currently, only the mother is considered eligible for a share in a deceased son’s property, which is also divided equally among the deceased’s wife and children.
In other words, the mother and father have been made a single unit for claiming a share in the property of their children.
This, according to the proposal, will help address situations in which fathers received nothing in old age following the death of a son. In effect, parents have been entitled to a share in the property of their children.
The UCC final draft has been prepared in three parts. The first part includes the UCC committee’s recommendations, the second contains the UCC Bill and the third embodies public opinion collected at three stages, including district-level and state-level consultations, along with suggestions received through the website.
Under the proposed registration of live-in relationships, one copy of the registration will go to the concerned police station and another to the parents.
Children born out of a live-in relationship will be entitled to a share in their parents’ property even if the partners separate. If a partner deserts the woman in a live-in relationship, she may seek maintenance from the partner.
The state cabinet will meet at Jagdishpur, formerly known as Islam Nagar, on July 19 and is likely to approve the final draft of UCC.
The UCC Bill is then expected to be tabled during the Assembly session beginning on July 20. After its passage, it will be sent to the President for assent. The state government will then frame the rules under the new law.
Madhya Pradesh will become the fourth state to implement the UCC after Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Assam.
At the JAC meeting, speakers raised strong objections and said that an attempt is being made to implement the new law by talking about equality, but in it, tribals, SCs, STs and minorities are being completely sidelined. They said that a deliberate attempt is being made to separate the Muslim society in particular from Sharia, and this attitude of arbitrariness and stubbornness will never be tolerated.
Addressing the important convention, former Director General of Police (DGP) M W Ansari said that the subject of UCC is definitely included in the guiding principles of the Constitution, but before implementing it, it is necessary to have extensive discussions and build a consensus with all communities and stakeholders. He clarified that the impact of UCC will not be limited to the Muslim society, but it can also have a profound impact on the traditions and personal laws of Christians, tribals and other communities.
The former DGP also accused the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party of pushing forward the UCC for political purposes.
Addressing the meeting, Qazi Syed Anas Ali Nadvi said that the subject of UCC is not limited to marriage, divorce or inheritance, but should be considered a broader issue related to religious freedom and personal laws. India’s diversity and pluralistic traditions are its true identity; therefore, it is important to take all parties into confidence before deciding on any law. He appealed to the people to express their views peacefully and democratically and said that all opposition will be done within the ambit of the Constitution and the law. He said that various programmes will be organised in the future to increase public awareness on this subject.
Senior advocate Syed Sajid Ali, former mayor Deepchand Yadav, renowned poet Vijay Tiwari, AIMIM Madhya Pradesh provincial president Mohsin Ali Khan, Touqeer Nizami, Hafiz Mujahid Ali Khan, Muhammad Mahir and Sarwat Zaidi, along with a large number of office bearers and leaders of various organisations were present on the occasion.
