BRS Undecided on Opposing UCC

Hyderabad: The ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) is not sure about opposing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC).

The BRS, which enjoyed a significant support in Muslim community in all elections since formation of Telangana, has surprisingly not yet taken a stand opposing the UCC, which is likely to be tabled in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament.

BRS working president and IT minister K.T. Rama Rao on Friday said that the party is yet to take a stand on UCC. Ten days ago, on June 27, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had strongly pitched for the UCC while addressing a meeting in Bhopal.

Party working president K.T. Rama Rao on Friday told mediapersons that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao would convene a meeting with intellectuals to discuss on the UCC and that he may spell out the party's stand in a week or two.

"Our CM has called for a meeting. He will be meeting several intellectuals next week on the Uniform Civil Code issue. We will come out with a clear cut policy on this issue. He might even discuss internally in the party and come out with a stand," Rama Rao said.

The party is of the view that the issue is just being talked about, and the Centre has taken no concrete steps were taken on it. The Law Commission and the parliamentary committee on law have called for opinions on the UCC.

"The government (Centre) has not introduced any such move. I believe the CM will take a call probably in the next one week or two week," said Rama Rao.  The Parliament session will commence on July 20.

Rama Rao's comments fuelled speculation in political circles that the BRS has kept its options open on whether or not to oppose UCC despite its claims of an outright war with the BJP. The ambiguity over the party's stand, as a senior party leader put it, may gave one more leverage to principal Opposition Congress to accuse BRS and BJP of nurturing a tacit understanding.

Political circles opine that even if the BRS opts out from voting in Parliament, it amounts to indirectly supporting the UCC.

Most of the Opposition parties in the country such as Congress, Janata Dal-United (JD-U), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the Left, and Trinamul
Congress (TMC). Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) are strongly opposed to the UCC and have vowed to vote against UCC in Parliament.