PMK opposes UCC even as BJP invite it for NDA meet in Delhi

CHENNAI: Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), the political arm of the powerful Vanniyar community, has written a detailed petition to the Law Commission of India opposing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC).

Given the support base PMK enjoys among the Vanniyar community, the BJP national leadership has invited it to attend the NDA meeting in New Delhi on July 18.

However, PMK state president and former Union Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, in a letter addressed to the Law Commission of India, said that the PMK was a political party formed for upholding social justice.

He further said that the PMK as a political party could not accept UCC as it would take away the rights of certain sections of the population.

He said, "Each and every religion have separate civil codes pertaining to marriages, divorces, child adoption, property rights and others. PMK's stand is that government should not intervene in the civil rights of the people. It is inferred that the intention of implementing UCC is to take away the rights of minorities rather than bringing in Uniform code."

Ramadoss, however, said that there were some issues in civil laws of minorities and called upon the Law Commission to seek suggestions based on such issues.

He said, "The Supreme Court will set issues right. It is unnecessary to seek suggestions on implementation of UCC as there is no need for it and without disclosing reasons."

The PMK leader called upon the Law Commission to drop the measures taken to implement UCC as it would destroy the diversity of the country.

He also said: "UCC will also affect the growth of the country in addition to the trouble it create for the minority communities."