BJP truly committed to gender justice: Shehzad Poonawalla on Gujarat announcing formation of committee for implementing UCC

New Delhi: BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Saturday said that BJP is truly committed to the idea of gender justice and women empowerment as he welcomed the Gujarat government's announcement of forming a committee for implementing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state.

Speaking to ANI, Poonawalla said, "Today the BJP has once again shown that it is truly committed to the idea of gender justice and women empowerment because uniform civil code which is also part of the Constitution is the biggest tool and weapon for gender justice, for ensuring that women are empowered." "Therefore as per the commitment made by the BJP in its manifesto whenever there is an opportunity the BJP is committed towards the implementation of uniform civil code and therefore whether it is Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, the BJP is committed to this constitutional ideal," he said.

Poonawalla also lashed out at Congress and said that Congress, Aam Aadmi Party and MIM do vote bank politics.

"It is very disturbing and indeed very saddening that those parties which claimed to gender justice and women empowerment at their heart. They today are standing in opposition of uniform civil code. Ironically there were the parties in power at the time when Constituent assembly included the uniform civil code into the Constitution. Ironically Congress was in power in Goa when UCC was implemented there. But today when others are implementing the UCC, the Congress stands in opposition to it," he said.
Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi on Saturday announced forming a committee for implementing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state.

The decision was taken in the cabinet meeting.

"Under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, CM Bhupendra Patel has taken a historic decision in the cabinet meeting today - of forming a committee for implementing the Uniform Civil Code in the state," said Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi.
Ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls in Gujarat, the state government announced to constitute a panel to evaluate implementing the Uniform Civil Code in the state.

The committee is likely to be formed under a retired High Court judge.
Earlier the Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh governments had announced their decision to implement the Uniform Civil Code.

Uniform Civil Code is a proposal in India to formulate and implement personal laws of citizens which apply to all citizens equally regardless of their religion, gender and sexual orientation.
Many political leaders have backed the UCC saying that it will bring equality in the country.

However, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has termed it "an unconstitutional and anti-minorities move", and called the rhetoric for bringing the law an attempt by Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Central governments to divert the attention from the concerns of inflation, economy, and rising unemployment.

The Centre earlier this month told the Supreme Court that it could not direct Parliament to frame or enact any law on Uniform Civil Code in the country.

The Ministry of Law and Justice in its affidavit stated that the matter of policy is for the elected representatives of the people to decide and no direction in this regard can be issued by the Centre. "It is for the legislature to enact or not to enact a piece of legislation," the ministry told the apex court.
Notably, in Bharatiya Janata Party's 2019 Lok Sabha election manifesto, BJP promised the implementation of UCC if it comes to power. (ANI)