Kozhikode: The national seminar on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), organized by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), witnessed an overwhelming presence of enthusiastic participants at the Calicut Trade Centre on Saturday.
Party general secretary Sitaram Yechury inaugurated the event, which brought together party leaders, ministers, Christian and Muslim religious figures, and Dalit leaders. With over 12,000 attendees, predominantly male party cadres, the seminar aimed to address the contentious issue of the UCC.
Yechury emphasized that the CPI(M) does not view uniformity as synonymous with equality. He reiterated the party's commitment to championing equal rights for all individuals, regardless of caste, creed, or gender. Yechury emphasized the necessity of consulting specific communities and ensuring democratic participation while reforming personal or customary laws within any community. He argued that the UCC slogan was being exploited to sharpen communal polarization ahead of the 2024 general election.
Citing past events under the BJP-led government, Yechury expressed concerns about the potential misuse of the UCC to target the Muslim population. He referenced the abrogation of Article 370, the dissolution of Jammu and Kashmir, laws against love jihad and inter-faith marriages, cow protection regulations, and the Citizenship Amendment Act as targeted acts against Muslims. Yechury positioned the opposition to the UCC as a battle for the preservation of a secular democratic India.
MV Govindan, CPI(M) state secretary, further criticized the BJP's UCC proposal, alleging that it aimed to revert the country to the casteist Chaturvarna system and a constitution influenced by the Manusmriti. He warned that the country's diversity would be eroded, benefiting Savarna corporate forces at the expense of the current democratic and secular fabric.
However, despite the speakers' unity in criticizing the BJP-led government's policies and defending diversity, the seminar faced criticism for its lack of democratic representation. The speaker line-up skewed heavily towards male participants, with only one-woman speaker, PK Sreemathy, allotted the final speaking slot. Women, particularly Muslim women, and Dalit and tribal representatives were assigned speaking slots towards the end of the event.
The seminar's composition also drew attention, as it became apparent that attendees had not gathered organically. After each subsequent speech, people began leaving the hall, revealing an orchestrated event. Party members were seen directing attendees towards buses, with a CPI(M) member admitting that most attendees were linked to the party.
Reflecting on the potential implementation of the UCC, members of the All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA), affiliated with the CPI(M), expressed their concerns. They argued that the BJP's promotion of the UCC ahead of the 2024 election aimed to polarize the country communally.
They maintained that the UCC would undermine the concept of unity in diversity and bring forth additional problems, even though certain inconveniences exist within personal laws pertaining to women in Islam.
Opposition to the UCC extended beyond political party affiliations, with concerns raised about the imposition of practices conflicting with various religions' beliefs. Some participants questioned the BJP's sudden interest in ending discrimination against women in personal laws, particularly in light of their vehement opposition to women's entry into the Sabarimala temple.