Communist Party of India (Maoist) units have issued statements opposing the Uniform Civil Code, as part of their propaganda. The banned organisation has appealed specifically to the ‘Opposition parties’ and ‘tribals’ to oppose the Uniform Civil Code. According to observers of the Maoist terrorism, these statements expose their hypocrisy as far as equality and justice for all are concerned. At least three units of CPI (Maoist) have issued separate statements opposing the Uniform Civil Code.

 

These include Central Committee of Central Regional Bureau, West Sub-Zonal Bureau covering Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra and Dandakaranya landscape, and Telangana State Committee. Though there is variation in use of language, the tone of these statements is the same. They are all critical of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and Central Government, and urge the ‘Opposition parties’ and tribals’ to oppose the Uniform Civil Code. In the statement issued purportedly with signature of Pratap, Spokesperson of Central Regional Bureau of the Left Wing Extremist organisation, certain misleading claims have been made as part of the Maoist propaganda. While acknowledging that Article 44 of the Constitution of India reads, “The State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a Uniform Civil Code throughout the territory of India”, the Maoists have added a distortion that ‘this is not justiciable’. According to experts, though the Directive Principles of State Policy that include Article 44 are ‘non-justiciable’, they are ‘fundamental in governance of the country, and it is the duty of the State to apply these principles in making laws’. The Maoists, however, have kept this part aside and have resorted to misleading claims.

 

Also, the same statement of Central Regional Bureau of the Maoists, calls the effort to bring in Uniform Civil Code as ‘conspiracy’ of the Government. However, in the same breath, it expresses concerns over ‘inequalities’, ‘religious discrimination’, and ‘inferior treatment to women’. While there is a large section in polity which believes that Uniform Civil Code will pave way for fair treatment to women in all religious groups, the Maoists believe that ‘laws will not secure equality for women’. Above all, the Maoist terrorists believe that ‘way for laws aiming at equality can be achieved only through waging people’s struggles’.

 

The statement of the Western Sub-Zonal Bureau, signed purportedly by its spokesperson Shriniwas, makes similar mentions with only difference being focus on provoking tribal community. While ‘condemning’ the Uniform Civil Code, this Maoist unit has made an appeal to the tribals to oppose it by ‘intensifying people’s struggle for right on forests’. In similar vein of opposition to the Uniform Civil Code is the statement issued purportedly by Jagan, Telangana State Committee Secretary of CPI (Maoist). However, according to observers, all these statements are nothing but an attempt to reach out to various groups and provoke them against the democratically elected and Constitutionally established Government in the country.

 

“Whenever the Maoists are weak, they resort to such propaganda tactics in a bid to garner some support,” said a police officer who has been observing the Maoist terrorism for years. Another observer, who did not wish to be quoted, said that these statements expose the double-speak of the Maoists. For, he added, the Left Wing Extremists championed the cause of so-called ‘equality for all’, but here they were opposing the Uniform Civil Code that aimed at equal application of law to all. “Their emphasis on resorting to violence, which they justify using misleading terms like ‘people’s struggles’ or ‘protracted people’s war’, as the only way to creating conditions for emancipation of women and ensuring equality for all is sheer duplicity and sham,” he said.