‘Enact UCC after obtaining suggestions from all shades of Bharatiya Society’: Alok Kumar

“We have decided that Bajrang Dal will take out nationwide Shaurya Jagran Yatras from September 30 to October 14. Through these yatras, Hindus living in every corner of the country will be organised and enabled to deal with these problems,” said Vishva Hindu Parishad International Working President Alok Kumar on June 25, while expressing concern over the all-round attacks on the Hindu family system and increasing incidents of Love Jihad and illegal religious conversions.

The statement by VHP International Working President Alok Kumar came after the conclusion of two-day Central Governing Council meet of VHP in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

The revered saints will undertake country-wide tours to connect peoples with families and families to social and national values of life around this Diwali, he said.

Releasing the copy of the resolution, passed in the meeting, on the Hindu family system, to the media, the VHP International Working President said that in the last few decades, our strong family system has been deeply hurt by the entertainment world, academicians, inspired by anti-Hindu ideologies, court decisions and materialistic mentalities. As a result, this unique system which ‘connects a person to family, Kutumba, society and nation and  takes him to the welfare of the world’, is muddled and disintegrated.

It has been said in the resolution that lack of values in children, the looseness of the younger generation and the plight of the elderly are at the root of the erosion of the family system.’ VHP has requested all the governments to make their constructive contribution in strengthening this system while making education policy or framing family related laws. The Censor Board and the governments have been urged to discharge their responsibilities in this regard with more ‘alertness and sensitivity’. In the resolution, the judiciary is also expected to keep this in mind, in its decisions. It has also been said to Hindu families that persons bound to live in nuclear families should also have contact with their original family (Kutumba) at regular intervals, associate with the places of ancestors, family gatherings, collective hymns, charity, service work, festivals and pilgrimages. There is a need to pay special attention to the use of mother tongue, insistence on Swadeshi etc. Along with this, it has also been said that sacrifice, self-control, love, intimacy, cooperation and mutual complementarity and a virtuous life are the foundation stones of a happy family. The entire society, especially the young generation, has been called upon to take necessary steps to keep this precious system more and more ‘alive, lively and cultured’,” he said.

On June 24, while welcoming the reference on the ‘Uniform Civil Code’ (UCC) to Law Commission of India, Alok Kumar said that it was a matter of satisfaction that the Commission had invited views from all stake-holders on this subject. The UCC should be enacted after obtaining and considering suggestions of all shades of Bharatiya society. Reminded that Article 44 of the Constitution ‘directs’ all governments “to secure a Uniform Civil Code for the citizens throughout the territory of India”.

Alok Kumar expressed regret that the MPs and MLAs, who take oath of “bearing true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India”, have in these 73 years of the Constitution failed to bring UCC for all citizens of Bharat.

“It is a matter of regret that the MPs and MLAs who take oath of “bearing true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India” have in these 73 years of the Constitution failed to bring UCC for all citizens of Bharat”
-Alok Kumar, International Working President, VHP

Pointing out that the Supreme Court of India in the case of Sarla Mudgal emphasised the need to enact the UCC at the earliest, VHP International Working President said many High Courts have repeatedly insisted upon the necessity of UCC. The Courts reminded that under Article 51A, it is the Fundamental Duty of all citizens “to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India transcending religious diversities”. In Bharat, all citizens are governed by common laws including criminal laws, property, contract and commercial laws. There is no reason as to why family laws should remain the only exception, he added.

It cannot be disputed that the personal laws of a religious community seriously violate the dignity, equality and other rights of the women. Their provisions about polygamy, divorce and successions are some 1400 years behind the modern times. Such practices breach the rights of women granted by the Constitution. Similarly, the rights of children do also need to be protected under the UCC.

He expressed hope that the Law Commission shall prepare the draft of UCC at an early date synthesising good practices from various sections of society and in accordance with the Constitutional values.