A private bill was introduced in Rajya Sabha today by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Rajasthan MP Kirodi Lal Meena which allows the implementation of the ‘Uniform Civil Code’ in India Bill, 2020. This led to fervent opposition from the rest of the house. The code seeks to do away with religion-based personal laws.
As many as three motions were placed against the Bill, stating that it would disintegrate the country and hurt its diverse culture. In the strict opposition, Union Minister Piyush Goyal argued that it is the legitimate right of a member to raise an issue which is under directive principles of the constitution. “Let this subject be debated in the House…at this stage to cast aspersions on the government, to try to criticise the Bill, is uncalled-for,” he said.
Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar called a voice vote where the ‘Aye’ were a majority with 63 votes against 23 opposing it. Although the Bill was listed for introduction in the past, it was not moved to the Upper House. BJP MP Harnath Singh Yadav gave a Zero Hour Notice to discuss the implementation of the Uniform Civil code in the country.
