UP deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya endorses Uniform Civil Code, says state will implement it

A day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah advocated implementation of Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in BJP-ruled states, Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Keshav Prasad Maurya on Saturday said that the Yogi Adityanath government was working towards implementing it in the state.

In a statement, Maurya said that Uniform Civil Code was necessary for the citizens of the country. “Everyone should demand and welcome Uniform Civil Code,” he said.

"The Uttar Pradesh government is also thinking in this direction. We are in its favour and it is necessary for UP and the people of the country. This is also one of the main promises of BJP (during election)," he said.

Uniform Civil Code is a proposal to formulate and implement personal laws of citizens which apply on all citizens equally regardless of their religion, sex, gender and sexual orientation. Currently, personal laws of various communities are governed by their respective religious scriptures.

The Uniform Civil Code could well be the next big political push for the BJP in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as Shah had reportedly said in MP that after Ram Temple, Triple Talaq, CAA and Article 370, now it is the time for BJP government to implement Uniform Civil Code. BJP-ruled states should think in this regard, he said.

Following this, other BJP leaders have also come out in support of UCC. "It's high time that UCC should be implemented not only in the states but across the country. Our Constitution says that every citizen is equal and the government should implement laws to make all equal,” BJP vice-president Vijay Bahadur Pathak said.

"People have voted us to power to get the code implemented and the Yogi Government should do it,” Pathak said.

Earlier, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had said that Uniform Civil Code will be implemented in the state. He even claimed that a committee has been formed to look into the modalities. “The committee includes policy and law experts and will submit its report soon,” Dhami said