PMK Says 'No' To Uniform Civil Code

The Uniform Civil Code would damage the nation's identity of pluralism and efforts aimed at facilitating its introduction should be abandoned, Pattali Makkal Katchi said on Saturday.
    
Quoting the party's representation to the 22nd Law Commission against the code, PMK chief Anbumani Ramadoss said his party, since its founding in 1989, had all along taken a stand against UCC. It is the stand of the party that the government must not interfere in the civil rights of religious communities.
    
"...ideas like one India, one language, and one civil code will damage India's identity of pluralism and it can never be allowed," the party said in its submission.
    
The UCC, besides "wresting" the rights of minorities would be a huge hindrance to the nation's unity and growth and hence efforts aimed at facilitating its implementation should be given up, the PMK conveyed to the law panel today.
    
The objective of the Law Commission in seeking opinion on UCC is not known and the proposed move to introduce the code appeared to be to "take away" the rights of minorities in particular rather than facilitating a civil code common to all the people, Anbumani Ramadoss alleged. The PMK, a "responsible secular party" cannot accept the UCC, he said.
    
The Law Commission had on July 14 extended the deadline for the public to send their views on UCC till July 28.