Venkaiah Naidu bats for debate, broad consensus on Uniform civil code

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu has favoured a debate on common civil code in the country and said the government would not “thrust” it and would move ahead only after a broad consensus emerges on the issue.

“Definitely, there is a need (for a debate on common civil code). The Constitutional framers, they advocated it and they have put in directive principles (of state policy) hoping the country in due course will go for a uniform civil code. I call it as a common civil code. Uniform conveys a different meaning,” he told PTI here in an interview earlier this week.

Noting that issues like marriage, divorce and right to property should be common, he said others—like way of worship—be left to individuals.

“What is best in every religion, in every society should be taken out. I am of the firm view, marriage, divorce, inheritance and right to property these things should be common. Other things, of course, what is the way of worship, what is the way of other practices. That is left to...there is nothing against any religion in common civil code,” he said.

Naidu made it clear that the government “would not thrust it” and move forward only when there is consensus.

“There is more and more awareness generating. But, we will not thrust it; unless consensus emerges and the country is now waiting for this. But, as I told you, we will move forward only when there is a broad consensus though we are committed to that,” he said.

Observing that Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly elections are important to BJP, Naidu said the party would assess the situation and take a call whether to project any leader as a chief ministerial candidate.

“That has to be discussed. Strategy varies from state to state. Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Haryana, we have not projected a CM candidate. Still, we have won. In Assam, we projected. There also, we won. We will assess the situation and take a call,” he said.