A day after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) announced its decision to support the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), the Congress on Thursday, June 29, hit back saying it was surprised by the speed at which AAP supported the BJP-led Union government's move.
In a tweet, the chairman of Congress media, Pawan Khera said, "I am truly surprised at the speed with which AAP has extended support to the Uniform Civil Code. Even as other responsible parties wait for the draft proposal from the govt, does AAP have exclusive access to the draft of the UCC proposal?"
His remarks came a day after the AAP announced its decision to support the UCC and said that the set of laws should be implemented only after wider consultations with all the stakeholders. AAP has also announced its decision to back the NDA government in Parliament when the UCC comes up for a vote.
Following AAP’s announcement, another party of the alliance, the Udhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), also announced its decision to support the UCC. Speaking to The Hindu, party leader Sanjay Raut said that they had historically supported the implementation of the UCC. “We support the idea of the Uniform Civil Code. But Prime Minister Modi’s latest campaign is a political stunt aimed at the next general elections and not a sincere exercise to bring the UCC. In view of his remarks, we will have to sit and deliberate on the issue,” he said.
The decision of the two parties is a further test for the fledgling alliance formed between 17 parties to fight the BJP in the coming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The parties have decided to have their next meeting in Bengaluru on July 13 and 14.
The Congress and AAP have been engaged in a bitter war of words in the last few weeks over the Union government's ordinance in Delhi. During the opposition parties meeting in Bihar's Patna, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal asked Congress to clear its stand on the ordinance row.
After the opposition meeting, the AAP also said that its hesitation and refusal to act as a team player on an important issue would make it very difficult for the party to be a part of any alliance that includes Congress.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 27, while addressing BJP booth workers in Madhya Pradesh said that Muslims were being misled in the name of UCC.
“These days, people are being provoked by the UCC. You tell me, if there is one law for one person in a home, and another law for another person, can that house function?” he asked.