Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma Backs Nationwide UCC, Says Muslim Women Suffer Without Uniform Law
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma advocates a common civil law to address issues such as polygamy, criticises opposition protests over SIR and expresses grief over the Kolkata Durga Puja pandal stampede.
BASTI (Uttar Pradesh), Oct 19: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday called for the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) across India, arguing that Muslim women face the greatest difficulties in its absence and stressing the need for a common legal framework to address issues such as polygamy.
Speaking to reporters in Basti district, Sarma said the UCC had already been notified in Assam and should be extended nationwide.
“Muslim women suffer the most in its absence,” he said, emphasising that a uniform legal framework was necessary to deal with practices such as polygamy.
Sarma was visiting Teliyajot village in Basti to offer condolences to BJP national general secretary Harish Dwivedi, whose mother had passed away. He travelled by road from Ayodhya to reach the BJP leader’s residence.
The Assam chief minister also commented on the Congress and other opposition parties criticising the BJP amid protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and calls for a change of government.
“Power comes through votes, not through strong-arm tactics,” Sarma said.
Referring to Bangladesh and Nepal, he argued that those advocating a change of government through intimidation should consider developments in the two neighbouring countries. He also claimed that between 5,000 and 10,000 people had participated in the protest held in Delhi.
His remarks came amid continuing political disagreements over the electoral roll revision exercise and the opposition’s allegations against the BJP.
Sarma also expressed sorrow over the stampede at a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata. He said the government had taken immediate notice of the incident and arranged medical treatment for those injured.
He added that the necessary steps were being taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.
During his visit to Dwivedi’s residence, Sarma paid floral tributes to a portrait of the BJP leader’s late mother and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family.
