"Uttarakhand UCC is a cut-and-paste job": AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi slams BJP, says it violates 'pluralism and diversity'

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], September 6 (ANI): All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Chief Asaduddin Owaisi launched a scathing attack on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) recently implemented in Uttarakhand. AIMIM MP termed it a "cut-and-paste" legislative effort that targets specific communities.
"Why do you not acknowledge that the Uttarakhand UCC is essentially a cut-and-paste job? It retains provisions from the Hindu Marriage Act, Hindu Succession Act, and Hindu Divorce Act, protects existing customs, and exempts tribal communities," Owaisi stated while speaking to reporters.
He further questioned the constitutional validity of imposing specific religious laws on a diverse population. "If we accept that India is a land of pluralism and diversity, and that this country does not belong to any single community, then how can you impose laws governing the marriage, divorce, and succession of one community onto another?"
Owaisi alleged that the move demonstrates the BJP’s disregard for constitutional mandates. “This reveals that the BJP does not truly believe in the values of diversity, pluralism, and fraternity enshrined in the Preamble of the Constitution, nor in the fundamental right to freedom of religion," he added.
Earlier this year, in January, the Uttarakhand Government implemented the Uniform Civil Code (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, to introduce necessary amendments to the UCC Act, 2024, following the approval of the Governor.
As per the CMO's release, the ordinance has been promulgated by the Governor of Uttarakhand, Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh (Retd.), under Article 213 of the Constitution of India and has come into force with immediate effect. Through this ordinance, procedural, administrative, and penal improvements have been made to various provisions of the Code to ensure its effective, transparent, and smooth implementation.
According to the Chief Minister's Office, along with promoting women's empowerment, protecting children's rights, and ensuring equality in civil rights, one of the UCC's most significant contributions has been simplifying procedures.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Chief Asaduddin Owaisi arrived at the Jaipur International Airport on Thursday ahead of the upcoming urban local body elections in Rajasthan.
Upon arrival, Owaisi emphasized that his party is focused on grassroots performance in Rajasthan.
"Elections are about the work to be done; regardless of who else shows up, we are here to strive for the success of our party's candidates," he said.
The upcoming urban local body polls, scheduled for September 9 and 11, are being viewed as a critical litmus test for the ruling BJP government’s performance and its organizational strength at the local level. (ANI)