Bihar's ruling JD-U has announced it will carefully examine the Uniform Civil Code Bill, signalling a nuanced approach that differs from other opposition parties and aims to consult with NDA partners before making a final decision.
Key Points
- JD-U will study the Uniform Civil Code Bill before taking a definitive stance on its implementation.
- Bihar deputy CM Vijay Kumar Chaudhary stated the party will not oppose the UCC without valid reasons if its provisions are unexceptionable.
- The JD-U seeks to distance itself from the RJD's strong opposition to the UCC, asserting its independent approach.
- Senior JD-U leaders, including the national working president, plan to hold talks with Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the legislation.
- The party's final decision on the UCC will be made after consulting all coalition partners within the NDA in Bihar.
Bihar deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary on Tuesday said the Janata Dal-United will study the Uniform Civil Code Bill and will "not oppose it for no reason" if provisions are unexceptionable.
The former state JD-U president made the statement at the party office where he was addressing a press conference, and replying to queries about the political turbulence that has ensued after Union Home Minister Amit Shah's assertion that UCC will be implemented "across 22 National Democratic Alliance-ruled states by 2029".
JD-U's Independent Stance On UCC
Chaudhary, who is also a former state assembly speaker, sought to distance the JD-U from the strident stance adopted by Rashtriya Janata Dal, the main party in opposition, which has vowed to thwart the UCC's implementation in Bihar, alleging that it was "against the interests of Muslims".
The JD-U leader, whose party has tried to court Muslims, but without much success, mainly because of its tie-up with BJP, said, "Please disabuse yourself of the notion that we follow the RJD's lead. We are a part of the ruling NDA in Bihar, and we will take a decision after consulting all coalition partners."
On Monday, senior JD-U leader and Phulwari Sharif MLA Shyam Rajak had spoken out strongly against the UCC, claiming that he was expressing a view in line with the stand taken earlier by party supremo Nitish Kumar, who had told the Narendra Modi government at the Centre, "we will support the Bill in Parliament but are opposed to its implementation in Bihar".
However, Chaudhary maintained that "there is no reason to make haste in the matter" and pointed out that "our national working president Sanjay Kumar Jha has said that he will hold talks on the issue with none other than the Union home minister".
Consultation And Assessment Of UCC
"As of now, we are not aware of the details of the legislation on UCC. Let it be placed before us. If we find there is nothing objectionable, why shall we oppose it without any reason? And if there are points of concern, these will be conveyed to the Union home minister," he said.
Replying to another query, the JD-U leader said a decision on Jha's proposal to rename the party as "JD-U Nitish" will be taken "when the matter is raised at the next meetings of the national executive and the national council".
Bihar Flood Situation And Central Aid
Asked about the floods, which have affected nearly 50 lakh people of the state, Chaudhary, who holds the Water Resources portfolio, said that while the state government was doing its best, the Centre "has also shown due sensitivity".
"Tomorrow, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is scheduled to be in Bihar and during his tour he is likely to visit many of the flood-hit areas. We believe that the purpose of an on-the-spot inspection is to make a fair assessment of the damage based on which central assistance will be offered to Bihar," he said.
