THE discussion on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly triggered a fiery political showdown between the ruling BJP and the Opposition Congress, as leaders traded sharp barbs over constitutional values, social justice and minority politics. Leading the charge for the ruling party, Huzur MLA Rameshwar Sharma launched a scathing attack on the Opposition, asserting that the UCC is not against any religion, but rather a decisive law against discrimination, appeasement and injustice to women. Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav, Sharma claimed that the nation is moving toward the constitutional spirit of equal laws and justice for all. The Huzur MLA remarked that Congress, which had historically surrendered to Jinnah, has now bowed down to two Muslim MLAs due to vote-bank politics.

 

Sharma further emphasised that ending practices like polygamy and ‘nikah halala’ represents a monumental victory for women’s dignity and gender equality, pointing out that several Muslimmajority nations, including Turkey, Tunisia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, have already banned polygamy. Hitting back strongly, Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar accused the BJP-led State Government and the RSS of using the UCC as a diversionary tactic to evade the crucial issue of 27% OBC reservation. Singhar asserted that while the Government speaks of uniform laws, it remains silent on social justice for the State’s nearly 55% OBC population, who are still awaiting their rightful constitutional reservation. Emphasising that securing rights for backward classes is a far greater issue than implementing the UCC, Singhar maintained that introducing new legislation while compromising on social justice is merely an attempt to mislead the public, reiterating Congress’s commitment to restoring the 27% OBC quota in Madhya Pradesh.