Himanta Biswa Sarma called for nationwide implementation of the Uniform Civil Code. He said its absence disproportionately affects Muslim women and leaves concerns such as polygamy unresolved.
Himanta Biswa Sarma called for nationwide implementation of the Uniform Civil Code.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has called for the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) to be implemented across India, arguing that Muslim women suffer the most in its absence, news agency Press Trust of India reported.
Sarma said a common law was needed to address issues such as polygamy. He made the remarks during a visit to Uttar Pradesh's Basti district on Sunday.
According to PTI, Sarma told reporters, "The UCC has already been notified in Assam and should be implemented nationwide." He added, "Muslim women suffer the most in its absence."
The Assam Chief Minister was in Basti to visit the residence of BJP national general secretary Harish Dwivedi in Teliyajot village and offer condolences to his family following the death of Dwivedi's mother.
Responding to criticism of the BJP by the Congress and other opposition parties amid protests against the SIR and calls for a "regime change", Sarma said, "Power comes through votes, not through strong-arm tactics."
He added, "Those who believe that a change of government can be brought about through intimidation should look at Bangladesh and Nepal." He claimed that only 5,000 to 10,000 people had taken part in the protest in Delhi, PTI reported.
Commenting on the stampede at a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata, Sarma expressed grief and said the government had taken immediate note of the incident and arranged treatment for those injured. He said necessary measures were also being taken to prevent similar incidents.
Sarma had travelled by road from Ayodhya to Dwivedi's residence, where he paid floral tributes to a portrait of the BJP leader's late mother and conveyed his condolences to the family. During the visit, he reiterated his support for a nationwide UCC and responded to the opposition's criticism of the BJP.
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