DMK's UCC riposte: Start with Hindus, appoint SC/ST priests in temples

CHENNAI: The BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi pushing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) just months before the 2024 Lok Sabha is seen by many as a move of the saffron party to win the general elections. While it may be advantageous to the party in the north, in the South it is difficult and in states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala it will backfire.

Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK was stiff in its opposition to the UCC and the party led by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin lashed out against the Prime Minister and the BJP for trying to divide the country. The allies of the DMK were also vocal in their opposition to the UCC.

Interestingly, the opposition AIADMK which is an ally of the BJP in Tamil Nadu has not properly responded to its position on the UCC and has passed on the responsibility to answer the tricky question to party general secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS).

Stalin was the first person to lash out against the idea of UCC.

While speaking at a function in Chennai, he said that the implementation of UCC would lead to unrest in the country and said that Modi was trying to create unrest in the name of religion and create confusion and win elections.

The DMK leader also said that the UCC should be first implemented in the Hindu religion and added that the DMK and people of Tamil Nadu does not want UCC.

Following the footsteps of Stalin, DMK leader and party spokesperson, T.K.S. Elangovan also lashed out against the BJP and the Prime Minister for trying to implement Uniform Civil Code in the country.

Elangovan said that UCC should first be implemented in the Hindu religion and called for every person including those born in SC/ST communities should be allowed to perform poojas in any temple in the country.

The DMK leader added that it was the M.K. Stalin government of Tamil Nadu had implemented the poll promise of the DMK to appoint Archakas (preists) drawn from all castes.

He also said that the DMK does not want UCC only because the constitution has given protection to every religion.

The DMK spokesman said that the idea of the BJP and Prime Minister Modi was to put pressure on the Muslim community.

DMK ally MDMK also came out strongly against the UCC and party founder general secretary and MP, Vaiko said that the Centre should give up its plan for a move to implement UCC.

The allies of the DMK like the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and the left parties, CPI and CPI-M have strongly opposed the BJP government at the centre trying to implement the Uniform Civil Code in the country.

It may be noted that the ally of the BJP, the AIADMK is also not in the same league as the saffron party regarding the UC) and in the 2019 election manifesto it had said that the party would urge the central government not to implement the UCC in the country.

The party leadership had shied away from answering a straight question and with a shaky political alliance in Tamil Nadu with the BJP, AIADMK would come out with its political stand in the next few days.

With the BJP already in a sticky wicket in Tamil Nadu as the relationship with its ally AIADMK not in good terms, the pitch of the BJP and the Prime Minister for a UCC is likely to keep even its alliance partners at a distance from the saffron party.

The DMK and Stalin are aiming at all the 39 Lok Sabha seats from Tamil Nadu and the lone seat from Puducherry and the party leadership is of the opinion that a strong opposition to the UCC will increase its stakes among the minority Muslim community that has a dedicated vote bank in the state.

C. Rajeev, Director at the Chennai-based Centre for Policy and Development Studies think tank, told IANS: "The Prime Minister's statement in Bhopal on the likely hood of the implementation of a UCC in the country is meted out with stiff opposition in Tamil Nadu. DMK and its allies have already aired their opposition to the move, and even the AIADMK may not throw their support to the BJP in this issue."

The BJP is already in a sticky wicket and if the UCC is implemented in the country during the 2024 elections, the party will not get much support from the state.